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Definition of fiction
1a : something invented by the imagination or feigned; specifically : an invented story … I'd found out that the story of the ailing son was pure fiction. — Andrew A. Rooneyb : fictitious literature (such as novels or short stories) was renowned as a writer of fictionc : a work of fiction; especially : novel Her latest work is a fiction set during the Civil War.
2a : an assumption of a possibility as a fact irrespective of the question of its truth a legal fictionb : a useful illusion or pretense it was only a fiction of independence his mother gave him; he was almost totally under her power — G. A. Wagner
3 : the action of feigning or of creating with the imagination She engaged in fiction to escape painful realities.
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Examples of fiction in a Sentence
She believes the fiction that crime rates are up.
most stories about famous outlaws of the Old West are fictions that have little or nothing to do with fact
Recent Examples of fiction from the Web
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America is no mere legal fiction created by a small group of Founders, Framers, presidents, lawmakers, justices, and generals.
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This is historical fiction with a capital F and a generous coat of whitewash.
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In that way, the porn GIF community on Tumblr isn’t unlike the world of erotic fiction, which also works against the myth that women are less horny, dirty, and sexually imaginative than men.
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Also a small summer-reading book sale of fiction books (in the auditorium).
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Alas, there is no association with the Wells science fiction novel with a similar title.
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Like Tron: Legacy or Star Trek: Into Darkness, an insistence on too-obvious callbacks mixed with hesitance to deface what came before left Shadow of Mordor feeling like a very extensive fan-fiction.
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Everything from philosophy to vintage science fiction, the fruit of estate sales and book-picking excursions.
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FictionA: Cubs Q: What's your favorite board game?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fiction'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of fiction
Middle English ficcioun, from Middle French fiction, from Latin fiction-, fictio act of fashioning, fiction, from fingere to shape, fashion, feign — more at dough
Other Literature Terms
FICTION Defined for English Language Learners
fiction
playDefinition of fiction for English Language Learners
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: written stories about people and events that are not real : literature that tells stories which are imagined by the writer
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: something that is not true
FICTION Defined for Kids
fiction
playDefinition of fiction for Students
1 : something told or written that is not fact
2 : a made-up story
3 : works of literature that are not true stories
Word Root of fiction
The Latin word fingere, meaning “to shape” or “to mold,” and its form fictus give us the roots fig and fict. Words from the Latin fingere have something to do with shaping. The figure of something, especially a person's body, is its shape. To disfigure is to change the shape and ruin the looks of something. Fiction is something written that is not fact but is shaped by the imagination.
Law Dictionary
Learn More about fiction
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fiction Spanish Central: Translation of fiction Nglish: Translation of fiction for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fiction for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fiction
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