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Literature vocabulary · Genres and Forms

Fabliau

Meaning in literature, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In literature, fabliau means: A short medieval comic tale in verse, usually earthy, clever, and focused on trickery, sex, or social satire.

In Turkish: fabliau

How it is used

Used in medieval literature studies to classify brief humorous narratives, especially in French traditions and works influenced by them.

Example sentences

  1. For the anthology notes, Selin labels the miller's story a fabliau because its humor depends on deception, class tension, and a quick ending.

    The term identifies a specific medieval comic form, not just any short tale that happens to be funny.

  2. In the lecture, the instructor contrasted the saint's life with a fabliau to show how genre shapes tone and moral expectation.

    Here, fabliau signals a comic, often coarse genre whose aims differ sharply from devotional narrative.

Common collocations

  • medieval fabliau
  • French fabliau
  • comic fabliau
  • genreA category of literature defined by shared features of form, style or subject, such as poetry, drama and the novel, or crime, fantasy and romance.
  • poetryLiterary writing arranged in lines that uses rhythm, sound, imagery and often rhyme to express feelings and ideas in a concentrated way.

More terms: Genres and Forms

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