Main Entry: fic·ti·tious

Pronunciation: \fik-ˈti-shəs\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Latin ficticius artificial, feigned, from fictus

Date: circa 1633

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of fiction : imaginary
2 a : conventionally or hypothetically assumed or accepted <a fictitious concept> b of a name : false, assumed
3 : not genuinely felt

— fic·ti·tious·ly adverb

— fic·ti·tious·ness noun

synonyms fictitious, fabulous, legendary, mythical, apocryphal mean having the nature of something imagined or invented. fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception <fictitious characters>. fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence <a land of fabulous riches>. legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition <the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett>. mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination <mythical creatures>. apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate <a book that repeats many apocryphal stories>.