historical fiction

American  

noun

1. the genre of literature, film, etc., comprising narratives that take place in the past and are characterized chiefly by an imaginative reconstruction of historical events and personages.

2. works of this genre, as novels and plays.

---

Etymology

Origin of historical fiction

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

The authorial name change for “Secret Lives” wasn’t initiated by her — Arnott calls it a publisher’s decision aimed at differentiating her latest, “more of a book club, commercial thriller” from her earlier historical fiction — but seems like a natural fit given that’s the name she put on her manuscript from the outset.

From Los Angeles Times

Both were popular novelists of rip-roaring historical fiction, both were politically active Tories, and both had the Borderlands at the heart of their works and lives.

From BBC

Translated into English, Álvaro Enrigue’s novel reimagines the American West through historical fiction.

From Los Angeles Times

The historical fiction imagines the Mexican and American armies fighting for control of the West — part myth, fact and fiction spanning the past and present.

From Los Angeles Times

However, what elevates “Sinners” beyond the gore — what makes it a delicious piece of historical fiction — are the details woven into the story’s fabric.

From Los Angeles Times