historical fiction
Americannoun
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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.
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works of this genre, as novels and plays.
Etymology
Origin of historical fiction
First recorded in 1585–95
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.
“You missed ‘Homegoing’ by Yaa Gyasi!” reader Melanie H. writes of the critically acclaimed Ghanian historical fiction novel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Jolly said she was delighted to win the prize which she said made the case for historical fiction as a "really serious type of literature".
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“Titanic” was not merely a romance; it was also historical fiction, a drama and a big-budget action.
From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2026
Calling “Amadeus” one of the great pieces of historical fiction for theater, Feldman said it’s a show he’s been planning for the Playhouse for quite some time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
There were racks loaded with mysteries, Newbery winners, historical fiction, biographies, and short stories.
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
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.
