Fab is an informal adjective meaning excellent or wonderful, often used in casual conversation. It originated as a clipped form of fabulous and is typically uttered with a light, upbeat tone. In modern usage, it functions as a praise adjective or as a standalone exclamation in enthusiastic contexts.
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"That new café is absolutely fab!"
"We had a fab time at the concert last night."
"She looked fab in that dress—really polished."
"The project went off without a hitch; it was fab all around."
Fab derives from fabulous, with the first known uses in informal British English in the early to mid 20th century, where clipped forms and playful slang were common in youth culture. The root fabulous itself traces to the Latin fabulosi meaning ‘deceptive or legendary’ via Old French fabul, and ultimately from the Greek mythoi ‘fables, stories.’ The abbreviation fab gained social currency around the 1950s–1960s as a breezy, positive adjective in British English, and later crossed into American slang with the same upbeat nuance. In contemporary usage, fab is typically used in casual registers, can stand alone as an exclamation (Fab!), and often pairs with fashion, events, or experiences to emphasize high quality or enjoyment. Over time, its usage has broadened beyond fashion to describe people, ideas, or outcomes, always with a light, approving tone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fab" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fab" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fab"
-lab sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /fæb/ in US/UK/AU. Start with an initial f sound, then a short front lax vowel /æ/ as in 'cat,' and finish with a clear /b/ by closing the lips. The stress is on the single syllable, and the word is clipped and fast in casual speech. You can listen to examples on Forvo or YouGlish to hear natural usage.
Common errors: (1) substituting /æ/ with /eɪ/ as in 'fabe' or 'fabe' in some accents; keep the short /æ/ as in 'cat.' (2) Voicing error on the final consonant; ensure you release the /b/ crisply rather than stopping too soon or making it devoiced at the end. (3) Adding extra vowels, like 'fahb' or 'fab-uh'; keep it monosyllabic. Practice with minimal pairs like fab vs fabu- lous to feel the shorter vowel and closed syllable.
In US/UK/AU, /fæb/ remains consistent in vowel quality, but rhoticity can subtly influence surrounding speech; Americans may have a slightly more open /æ/ and a punchier /b/ release, while Brits may have a tighter, shorter /æ/ and crisper consonant closure. Australian speakers often produce a slightly flatter /æ/ with a more relaxed jaw, but the /b/ is still a clear stop. Overall, the core is /f-/ + /æ/ + /b/ with minor vowel length differences.
The challenge lies in maintaining a crisp, single-syllable delivery in casual speech while coordinating the lip closure for /f/ and /b/ with a quick, accurate /æ/ vowel. In rapid speech, the vowel can reduce or shift toward schwa in some dialects, which dulls the word’s punch. Mastery requires precise lip tension for /f/ and full voicing for /b/ without inserting extra vowels, and maintaining a tight jaw during the brief /æ/.
No, there is no silent letter in fab. The word has a fully pronounced /f/ onset, /æ/ vowel nucleus, and /b/ coda. Clipping occurs in length, not in letter omission. You will hear /fæb/ in careful speech and /fæb/ even more clipped in fast conversation; ensure the /f/ first position is audible and the /b/ is released clearly.
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