View synonyms for fiction

fiction

[ fik-shuhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration, especially in prose form.
works of this class, as novels or short stories:
detective fiction.
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
the act of feigning, inventing, or imagining.
an imaginary thing or event, postulated for the purposes of argument or explanation.
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

literary works invented by the imagination, such as novels or short stories
an invented story or explanation; lie
the act of inventing a story or explanation
law something assumed to be true for the sake of convenience, though probably false

fiction

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 .

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Derived Forms

ˈfictionally, adverb
ˌfictionˈeer, noun
ˈfictional, adjective

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Other Words From

fiction·al adjective
fiction·al·ly adverb
pro·fiction adjective
semi·fiction noun
semi·fiction·al adjective
semi·fiction·al·ly adverb

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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 )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of fiction¹

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

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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.

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Example Sentences

Sir Terry first showed Mr Smythe his fiction work in the summer of 1968 and the publisher was immediately struck by his "brilliance, sense of humour and his skill at writing".

From BBC

Sheen is set to host a storytelling event while Du Beke will speak about this new fiction work Monte Carlo By Moonlight.

From BBC

But then so much of what he said last night was complete fiction.

From Salon

Historians and biographers work around archival gaps to delicately stitch together suppressed histories, but fiction writers can take more creative liberties to reconcile the past.

From Los Angeles Times

"I'm not sure that it was just entirely physiological but something changed, and I just could not get back into that magical place where I can write fiction."

From BBC

Related Words

fictile fictional

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