Etymology From Latin fābulātus, perfect active participle of fābulor (“to tell stories, chat”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from fābula (“fable”).
1
To tell invented stories, often those that involve fantasy, such as fables.
Human fears, needs, dreams release the latent propensities of the subliminal soul, and to respond to them the fabulating imagination sets to work.1990, Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, Tractatus Brevus, Kluwer, page 38:
The objects remain those of male fantasies, but from the start Maxine associates the ability to fantasize or fabulate with women and with Cantonese: […]1992, Donald C. Goellnicht, "Tang Ao in America: Male Subject Positions in China Men, Shirley Geok-lin Lim and Amy Ling (editors), Reading the Literatures of Asian America, Temple University Press, page 205
1 more example
It is only this posture that permits him to discharge his function as a chief: to fabulate and to summon up the missing people.2006, Jérémie Valentin, “Gille Deleuze’s Political Posture”, chapter 12 of Constantin V. Boundas (editor), Deleuze and Philosophy, Edinburgh University Press, page 196
Anyone who considers it a pleasure to compose short stories or to fabulate a tale, must remain silent and say nothing of her beauty.1990, Marianne Kalinke, Bridal-quest Romance in Medieval Iceland, page 74:
The Fort is ſo barricadoed, that it is hard ſcaling it : the refractary Rebell ſo guarded with Euill and Poyſon, ſo warded with unruly and deadly ; as if it were with Gyants in an Inchanted Towre, as they fabulate ; so no man can tame it.1630, Thomas Adams, “The Taming of the Tongve”, in The Workes of Tho: Adams, page 143:
Etymology Coined around 1934 by folklorist Carl von Sydow to contrast with memorate, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).
1
A folk story that is not entirely believable.
It is a rule, though, that each fabulate, as well as every other narrative that requires credence or pretense or at least the possibility of belief as its ingredient, is based on either a truly existing or an assumed memorate[…] or something similar.1974, Linda Dégh, Andrew Vázsonyi, “The memorate and the proto-memorate”, in The Journal of American Folklore, volume 87, →DOI, page 232:
2
Specifically A folk story that is told for entertainment, and not intended to be taken as true.
To jocular fabulates (Sherzfabulate) I place inter alia some of the “Tales of the Stupid Ogre” in Aarne’s Type Register.1948, Carl von Sydow, Selected Papers on Folklore, page 87: