Meaning
What does Drabble mean?
Drabble is a word, with multiple meanings, depending on the context in which it is utilized.
Originally, the term is a verb about getting something dirty, by dragging it into wet mud or filthy water.
“Drabble” however has a new meaning, originating from the second half of the last century; specifically, it is a short piece of fictional story, that has to be precisely one hundred words, to make the author display their skill in expressing themselves in a limited space.
Origin
What's the origin of Drabble?
The idea is said to be originating from the United Kingdom, where in the 1980’s local fandoms started to do fiction writing contests, to be done within a hundred words.
The name of the concept is said to be adopted from Monty Python’s 1971 The Red Book, in which they referred to the British author Margaret Drabble.
Spread & Usage
How did Drabble spread?
“Drabble” contests became rather popular among fanfiction communities, as it takes only a brief time to dabble in “drabbling” and it is still an effective channel of expression.
In 2011 the online literary journal called 100 Word Story was founded by Grant Faulkner and Lynn Mundell, publishing stories that are exactly a hundred words long.
The term “drabble” was added to the archives of Urban Dictionary in 2004.