figment
Americannoun
-
a mere product of mental invention; a fantastic notion.
The noises in the attic were just a figment of his imagination.
-
a feigned, invented, or imagined story, theory, etc..
biographical and historical figments.
noun
Synonym Usage
See fiction.
Etymology
Origin of figment
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin figmentum “something made or feigned,” equivalent to fig- (base of fingere “to mold, feign”) + -mentum -ment; see fiction ( def. )
Explanation
When something is a figment of your imagination, it means that you made it up. It's something that might seem real, but is really not. What does a fig- (not the fruit fig) have to do with something made up inside your head? It has to do with Latin, as usual — both figment and fiction derive from the same Latin word. But it might help to think of figment as a fig leaf — a figment is something flimsy and easily blown away.
Vocabulary lists containing figment
100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Our Favorite Lily Tomlin Quotes
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His firm Figment Capital holds a minority stake in Legend, the social trading platform hosting the event.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
“Popcorn buckets are popular. Figment merchandise is rare,” said Jay Cisco, a solutions architect from Winter Garden, Fla., who stood in line with hundreds of people on a Friday in January.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2022
An annual project of the public arts initiative Figment, this year’s course will include holes in homage to pizza, Citibikes, oysters and the First Amendment.
From New York Times • May 29, 2014
The project is entitled Figment because the artist said he would like the word inscribed on his gravestone, the , also in Pittsburgh, said.
From BBC • Aug. 6, 2013
"I love book recommendations from Twitter," says Elizabeth McCracken, keen tweeter and author of An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination.
From The Guardian • Dec. 19, 2010
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
