fiction

[fik-shuhn]

noun

1. the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration, especially in prose form.

2. works of this class, as novels or short stories.

   detective fiction.

3. something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story.

   We've all heard the fiction of her being in delicate health.

   Synonyms: fantasy, fable
   Antonyms: fact

4. the act of feigning, inventing, or imagining.

5. an imaginary thing or event, postulated for the purposes of argument or explanation.

6. Law.,  an allegation that a fact exists that is known not to exist, made by authority of law to bring a case within the operation of a rule of law.

fiction

/ ˈfɪkʃən /

noun

1. literary works invented by the imagination, such as novels or short stories

2. an invented story or explanation; lie

3. the act of inventing a story or explanation

4. law something assumed to be true for the sake of convenience, though probably false

fiction

1. Literature that is a work of the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. Some examples of modern works of fiction are The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov.

Other Word Forms

• fictional adjective
• fictionally adverb
• profiction adjective
• semifiction noun
• semifictional adjective
• semifictionally adverb
• fictioneer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fiction¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ficcio(u)n, from French, from Latin fictiōn- (stem of fictiō ) “a shaping,” hence “a feigning, fiction,” equivalent to fict(us) “molded” (past participle of fingere ) + -iōn- -ion; figment ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of fiction¹

C14: from Latin fictiō a fashioning, hence something imaginary, from fingere to shape

Synonym Study

Fiction, fabrication, figment suggest a story that is without basis in reality. Fiction suggests a story invented and fashioned either to entertain or to deceive: clever fiction; pure fiction. Fabrication applies particularly to a false but carefully invented statement or series of statements, in which some truth is sometimes interwoven, the whole usually intended to deceive: fabrications to lure speculators. Figment applies to a tale, idea, or statement often made up to explain, justify, or glorify oneself: His rich uncle was a figment of his imagination.

Example Sentences

Rushdie’s brush with death and new lease on life renders his latest stories — his first fiction since the attack — all the more potent and poignant.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Now, as he tries to focus more on writing fiction and less on marathon stand-up tours like the one he’s currently on, C.K. is stepping out publicly to promote “Ingram.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I had to go through my grief process with Lily, and then I created a potential fiction about the afterlife for Ellie, because it’s not in me to tell her there’s nothing afterwards.

Read more on Salon

Even so, declaring that spacetime does not exist often provokes disagreement across fields such as modern physics, philosophy, and science communication, as well as in popular science fiction.

Read more on Science Daily

I used to read science fiction when I was little.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• book 
• drama 
• fable 
• fantasy 
• imagination 
• legend 
• myth 
• narrative 
• novel 
• tale 
• yarn