Fabulous is an adjective meaning extraordinarily good or wonderful, often used informally to express admiration or excitement. It conveys a sense of glamour or exceptional quality and is common in everyday speech, media, and advertising. The word carries a slightly playful tone and can function as a powerful intensifier in positive evaluations.
"That concert was absolutely fabulous!"
"She wore a fabulous dress that sparkled under the lights."
"Their new restaurant received fabulous reviews from critics."
"What a fabulous idea — it could change everything for us."
Fabulous originates from the Latin word fabulosus, meaning 'fabled' or 'celebrated in fables.' The root fabula means 'story' or 'play' in Latin, giving rise to the sense of something legendary or extraordinary. In Late Latin and Old French, fabulosus/ fabuleux described things told in fables or of legendary quality. By the 15th century English inherited fabulous with the sense of ‘fabulously good’ or ‘like a fable,’ gradually shifting toward colloquial praise. The word retained the aura of myth and extravagance, aligning with fashionable or sensational connotations. Its modern usage as an intensifier, as in ‘fabulous idea,’ became widespread in the 20th century, especially with media and pop culture promoting hyperbolic praise. First known prints of the modern sense appear in English in the early to mid-1900s, though forms like ‘fabulous!’ as an exclamation are attested earlier in informal speech. Across decades, the word connected glamour, wealth, and vivid positive evaluation in both American and British English, with regional emphases on syllable stress and vowel quality.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Fabulous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Fabulous"
-ous sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce FAB-uh-lus with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈfæbjələs/ in US/UK; some speakers may pronounce the middle vowel as /ə/ or /ʊ/ leading to /ˈfæbjʊləs/. Start with a crisp 'fa' as in 'cat' plus 'b' then a schwa in the second syllable, and finish with the unstressed 'lus' sounds. Audio references: you can compare with Cambridge/oxford audio samples; aim for a quick, clean onset and a light, relaxed middle.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable, producing /ˌfæˈbjuləs/ which sounds off; (2) Merging the middle vowel too strongly to /o/ or /u/, making /ˈfæbjuːləs/; (3) Slurring the /l/ into the following vowel. Correction: keep a clear /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable; articulate /bj/ as a consonant cluster rather than an overly long vowel; end with a light /s/ and avoid adding extra vowels.
In US and UK, the first syllable carries primary stress: /ˈfæbjələs/ with a short æ. US speakers may reduce the second vowel slightly to /ə/, UK speakers may articulate /ə/ more clearly; Australians often pronounce the second syllable with a slightly higher front vowel and a softer /l/ leading to /ˈfæbjʊləs/ or /ˈfæbəɫəs/. Rhythm tends to be brisk in all.
Two main challenges: (1) the /bj/ consonant cluster after the first syllable can feel abrupt; practice by pausing between /æ/ and /bj/ to avoid linking; (2) the middle vowel reduction to /ə/ or /ɪ/ affects rhythm, especially in fast speech. Keeping the nucleus of the second syllable as a reduced vowel with a light /l/ helps maintain natural timing.
In fast, casual speech some native speakers reduce to /ˈfæbləs/ or /ˈfæbjəs/, but this varies with region and pace. The vowel in the second syllable can be elided or reduced, yielding a closer feel to /ˈfæbləs/ in very informal contexts. It’s safer for clear communication to retain /əl/ in careful speech.
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