fabulous
adjective
Did you know?
The Meaning of Fabulous Before It Meant ‘Great’
Most of us use the word fabulous in an entirely positive sense, with the meaning “wonderful” or “marvelous.” This is an entirely acceptable way to use the word, but it is by no means the sense that fabulous had when it entered the English language: its original meaning was “characteristic of fables” (a fable is “an invented tale”). In that sense, "the fabulous legends of Arabia" refers to legends based upon fable rather than notably excellent legends. The semantic drift that fabulous has undergone is not at all uncommon in language, and we see comparable developments in words of similar in meaning. Fantastic previously meant “of, belonging to, or constituting fantasy”; awesome initially had the sole meaning “expressive of awe” (and many people wish that it still did); and terrific meant “terrible, terrifying” long before it meant “splendid.”
Examples of fabulous in a Sentence
Laura Jackson, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2025
Purple is having a moment right now, but sage and yellow are also fabulous choices for springtime soirées.
—Madeleine Bokan Thares, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2025
For a few years now, people have had things to say about her looks as she’s gotten older, but she’s been stepping out confidently, including on her poppin’ Instagram account, looking a fierce and fabulous 60.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 10 Mar. 2025
And there are plenty of fabulous hotels in Rome, from buzzy new properties to opulent grand dames.
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fabulous
Cite this Entry
“Fabulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fabulous. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
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fabulous
adjective
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