The word fiction means

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary.[1][2][3] Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditional narrow sense, «fiction» refers to written narratives in prose – often referring specifically to novels, novellas, and short stories.[4][5] More broadly, however, fiction encompasses imaginary narratives expressed in any medium, including not just writings but also live theatrical performances, films, television programs, radio dramas, comics, role-playing games, and video games.

Definition[edit]

Typically, the fictionality of a work is publicly marketed and so the audience expects the work to deviate in some ways from the real world rather than presenting, for instance, only factually accurate portrayals or characters who are actual people.[6] Because fiction is generally understood to not fully adhere to the real world, the themes and context of a work, such as if and how it relates to real-world issues or events, are open to interpretation.[7] Characters and events within some fictional works may even exist in their own context entirely separate from the known physical universe: an independent fictional universe. The creative art of constructing an imaginary world is known as worldbuilding.

In contrast to fiction, creators of non-fiction works assume responsibility for presenting only information (and sometimes opinion) based in historical and factual reality. Despite the traditional distinction between fiction and non-fiction, some modern works blur this boundary, particularly ones that fall under certain experimental storytelling genres—including some postmodern fiction, autofiction,[8] or creative nonfiction like non-fiction novels and docudramas—as well as the deliberate literary fraud of falsely marketing fiction as nonfiction.[9]

History[edit]

Storytelling has existed in all human cultures, and each culture incorporates different elements of truth and fiction into storytelling. Early fiction was closely associated with history and myth. Greek poets such as Homer, Hesiod, and Aesop developed fictional stories that were told first through oral storytelling and then in writing. Prose fiction was developed in Ancient Greece, influenced by the storytelling traditions of Asia and Egypt. Distinctly fictional work was not recognized as separate from historical or mythological stories until the imperial period. Plasmatic narrative, following entirely invented characters and events, was developed through ancient drama and New Comedy.[10] One common structure among early fiction is a series of strange and fantastic adventures as early writers test the limits of fiction writing. Milesian tales were an early example of fiction writing in Ancient Greece and Italy. As fiction writing developed in Ancient Greece, relatable characters and plausible scenarios were emphasized to better connect with the audience, including elements such as romance, piracy, and religious ceremonies. Heroic romance was developed in medieval Europe, incorporating elements associated with fantasy, including supernatural elements and chivalry.[11]

The structure of the modern novel was developed by Miguel de Cervantes with Don Quixote in the early-17th century.[12] The novel became a primary medium of fiction in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were often associated with Enlightenment ideas such as empiricism and agnosticism. Realism developed as a literary style at this time.[13] New forms of mass media developed in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, including popular-fiction magazines and early film.[14] Interactive fiction was developed in the late-20th century through video games.[15]

Elements[edit]

Character[edit]

Characters are the main actors within a work of fiction that carry out the story. They typically take the form of humans with names, identities, and character traits, and they typically engage in actions and speech to convey their motives. Characters may be entirely imaginary, or they may have a basis in real-life individuals. In literary fiction, study of the characters is the work’s purpose. Memorable characters provide value and iconography to fictional stories.[16] Fictional characters can be perceived similarly to real people by the audience. First impressions are influential in how a character is initially perceived, while familiarity with a character results in expected behaviors. Characters that behave contrary to their previous characterization can be confusing or jarring to the audience. The audience can also form social connections with characters, feeling for them as if they were real.[17]

Plot[edit]

Plot is the sequence of events that occurs in a work of fiction. It occurs through cause and effect in which actions produce reactions and cause the story to progress. The plot often corresponds to a conflict between characters or within a character and presents stakes that are at risk within the story. Plot is structured through a series of scenes in which related events occur that lead to subsequent scenes. These events form plot points that cause changes to the story or the character.[18]

Setting[edit]

Setting is the time, place, and circumstance in which a story takes place. It includes the physical surroundings that the characters experience and the social conventions that affect characters. The setting may resemble a character in that it has specific traits, undergoes actions that affect the plot, and develops over the course of the story.[19]

Theme[edit]

Theme is the underlying idea or message presented by a work. It is more abstract than other elements and can be applied to other circumstances as a broader concept. Theme is a subjective element that is interpreted by the audience and may or may not be intended by the work’s creator. The audience may come to different conclusions about a work’s theme or develop new ideas about its theme as the work progresses.[20]

Formats[edit]

Traditionally, fiction includes novels, short stories, fables, legends, myths, fairy tales, epic and narrative poetry, plays (including operas, musicals, dramas, puppet plays, and various kinds of theatrical dances). However, fiction may also encompass comic books, and many animated cartoons, stop motions, anime, manga, films, video games, radio programs, television programs (comedies and dramas), etc.

The Internet has had a major impact on the creation and distribution of fiction, calling into question the feasibility of copyright as a means to ensure royalties are paid to copyright holders.[21] Also, digital libraries such as Project Gutenberg make public domain texts more readily available. The combination of inexpensive home computers, the Internet, and the creativity of its users has also led to new forms of fiction, such as interactive computer games or computer-generated comics. Countless forums for fan fiction can be found online, where loyal followers of specific fictional realms create and distribute derivative stories. The Internet is also used for the development of blog fiction, where a story is delivered through a blog either as flash fiction or serial blog, and collaborative fiction, where a story is written sequentially by different authors, or the entire text can be revised by anyone using a wiki.

Literary fiction[edit]

The definition of literary fiction is controversial. It may refer to any work of fiction in a written form. However, various other definitions exist, including a written work of fiction that:

  • does not fit neatly into an established genre (as opposed to so-called genre fiction), when used as a marketing label in the book trade
  • is character-driven rather than plot-driven
  • examines the human condition
  • uses language in an experimental or poetic fashion
  • is considered seriously as a work of art[22]

Literary fiction is often used as a synonym for literature, in the narrow sense of writings specifically considered to be an art form.[23] While literary fiction is sometimes regarded as superior to genre fiction, the two are not mutually exclusive, and major literary figures have employed the genres of science fiction, crime fiction, romance, etc., to create works of literature. Furthermore, the study of genre fiction has developed within academia in recent decades.[24]

The term is sometimes used such as to equate literary fiction to literature. The accuracy of this is debated. Neal Stephenson has suggested that while any definition will be simplistic there is today a general cultural difference between literary and genre fiction. On the one hand literary authors nowadays are frequently supported by patronage, with employment at a university or a similar institution, and with the continuation of such positions determined not by book sales but by critical acclaim by other established literary authors and critics. On the other hand, he suggests, genre fiction writers tend to support themselves by book sales.[25] However, in an interview, John Updike lamented that «the category of ‘literary fiction’ has sprung up recently to torment people like me who just set out to write books, and if anybody wanted to read them, terrific, the more the merrier. … I’m a genre writer of a sort. I write literary fiction, which is like spy fiction or chick lit».[26] Likewise, on The Charlie Rose Show, he argued that this term, when applied to his work, greatly limited him and his expectations of what might come of his writing, so he does not really like it. He suggested that all his works are literary, simply because «they are written in words».[27]

Literary fiction often involves social commentary, political criticism, or reflection on the human condition.[28] In general, it focuses on «introspective, in-depth character studies» of «interesting, complex and developed» characters.[28] This contrasts with genre fiction where plot is the central concern.[29] Usually in literary fiction the focus is on the «inner story» of the characters who drive the plot, with detailed motivations to elicit «emotional involvement» in the reader.[citation needed] The style of literary fiction is often described as «elegantly written, lyrical, and … layered».[30] The tone of literary fiction can be darker than genre fiction,[31] while the pacing of literary fiction may be slower than popular fiction.[31] As Terrence Rafferty notes, «literary fiction, by its nature, allows itself to dawdle, to linger on stray beauties even at the risk of losing its way».[32]

Genre fiction[edit]

Based on how literary fiction is defined, genre fiction may be a subset (written fiction that aligns to a particular genre), or its opposite: an evaluative label for written fiction that comprises popular culture, as artistically or intellectually inferior to high culture. Regardless, fiction is commonly broken down into a variety of genres: categories of fiction, each differentiated by a particular unifying tone or style; set of narrative techniques, archetypes, or other tropes; media content; or other popularly defined criterion.

Science fiction predicts or supposes technologies that are not realities at the time of the work’s creation: Jules Verne’s novel From the Earth to the Moon was published in 1865, but only in 1969 did astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to land on the Moon.

Historical fiction places imaginary characters into real historical events. In the 1814 historical novel Waverley, Sir Walter Scott’s fictional character Edward Waverley meets a figure from history, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and takes part in the Battle of Prestonpans. Some works of fiction are slightly or greatly re-imagined based on some originally true story, or a reconstructed biography.[33] Often, even when the fictional story is based on fact, there may be additions and subtractions from the true story to make it more interesting. An example is Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, a 1990 series of short stories about the Vietnam War.

Fictional works that explicitly involve supernatural, magical, or scientifically impossible elements are often classified under the genre of fantasy, including Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Creators of fantasy sometimes introduce imaginary creatures and beings such as dragons and fairies.[3]

Process of fiction writing[edit]

Fiction writing is the process by which an author or creator produces a fictional work. Some elements of the writing process may be planned in advance, while others may come about spontaneously. Fiction writers use different writing styles and have distinct writers’ voices when writing fictional stories.[34]

Types by word count[edit]

Types of written fiction in prose are distinguished by relative length and include:[35][36]

  • Short story: the boundary between a long short story and a novella is vague,[37] although a short story commonly comprises fewer than 7,500 words
  • Novella: typically, 17,500 to 40,000 words in length; examples include Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) or Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1899)[38]
  • Novel: 40,000 words or more in length

Realism[edit]

Realistic fiction typically involves a story whose basic setting (time and location in the world) is real and whose events could feasibly happen in a real-world setting; in contrast, speculative fiction typically involves a story where the opposite is the case, often being set in an entirely imaginary universe, an alternative history of the world other than that currently understood as true, or some other non-existent location or time-period, sometimes even presenting impossible technology or defiance of the currently understood laws of nature. However, all types of fiction arguably invite their audience to explore real ideas, issues, or possibilities in an otherwise imaginary setting or using what is understood about reality to mentally construct something similar to reality, though still distinct from it.[note 1][note 2]

In terms of the traditional separation between fiction and non-fiction, the lines are now commonly understood as blurred, showing more overlap than mutual exclusion. Even fiction usually has elements of or grounding in, truth. The distinction between the two may be best defined from the perspective of the audience, according to whom a work is regarded as non-fiction if its people, places, and events are all historically or factually real, while a work is regarded as fiction if it deviates from reality in any of those areas. The distinction between fiction and non-fiction is further obscured by an understanding, on the one hand, that the truth can be presented through imaginary channels and constructions, while, on the other hand, imagination can just as well bring about significant conclusions about truth and reality.[citation needed]

Literary critic James Wood argues that «fiction is both artifice and verisimilitude», meaning that it requires both creative inventions as well as some acceptable degree of believability,[41] a notion often encapsulated in poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s term: willing suspension of disbelief. Also, infinite fictional possibilities themselves signal the impossibility of fully knowing reality, provocatively demonstrating that there is no criterion to measure constructs of reality.[42]

See also[edit]

  • Cartoonist
  • Fiction writing
  • History of literature
  • Pseudohistory

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ As philosopher Stacie Friend explains, «in reading we take works of fiction, like works of non-fiction, to be about the real world—even if they invite us to imagine the world to be different from how it actually is. [Thus], imagining a story world does not mean directing one’s imagining toward something other than the real world; it is instead a mental activity that involves constructing a complex representation of what a story portrays».[39]
  2. ^ The research of Weisberg and Goodstein (2009) revealed that, despite not being specifically informed that, say, the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, had two legs, their subjects «consistently assumed that some real-world facts obtained in fiction, although they were sensitive to the kind of fact and the realism of the story.»[40]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ «fiction». Lexico. Oxford University Press. 2019. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019.
  2. ^ Sageng, John Richard; Fossheim, Hallvard J.; Larsen, Tarjei Mandt, eds. (2012). The Philosophy of Computer Games. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 186–87. ISBN 9789400742499. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b Harmon, William; Holman, C. Hugh (1990). A Handbook to Literature (7th ed.). New York: Prentice Hall. p. 212.
  4. ^ Abrams, M. h. (1999). A Glossary of Literary Terms (7th ed.). Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace. p. 94.
  5. ^ ««Definition of ‘fiction». Oxford English Dictionaries (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2015. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  6. ^ Farner, Geir (2014). «Chapter 2: What is Literary Fiction?». Literary Fiction: The Ways We Read Narrative Literature. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 9781623564261. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. ^ Culler, Jonathan (2000). Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-19-285383-7. Non-fictional discourse is usually embedded in a context that tells you how to take it: an instruction manual, a newspaper report, a letter from a charity. The context of fiction, though, explicitly leaves open the question of what the fiction is really about. Reference to the world is not so much a property of literary [that is, fictional] works as a function they are given by interpretation.
  8. ^ Iftekharuddin, Frahat, ed. (2003). The Postmodern Short Story: Forms and Issues. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 23. ISBN 9780313323751. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  9. ^ Menand, Louis (2018). «Literary Hoaxes and the Ethics of Authorship». The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022.
  10. ^ Whitmarsh, Tim (2013). «The «Invention of Fiction»«. Beyond the Second Sophistic: Adventures in Greek Postclassicism. University of California Press. pp. 11–34. doi:10.1525/california/9780520276819.001.0001. ISBN 9780520957022. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  11. ^ Dunlop, John Colin (1845). The History of Fiction (3rd ed.). Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans. pp. 46, 55–56.
  12. ^ Johnson, Carroll B. (2000). Don Quixote: The Quest for Modern Fiction. Waveland Press. p. 19. ISBN 9781478609148.
  13. ^ Chodat, Robert (7 December 2015). «The Novel». In Carroll, Noël; Gibson, John (eds.). The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Literature (1 ed.). Routledge. pp. 83–. doi:10.4324/9781315708935. ISBN 978-1-315-70893-5. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  14. ^ Thompson, Kristin (2003). Storytelling in Film and Television. Harvard University Press. p. 19. ISBN 9780674010635.
  15. ^ Niesz, Anthony J.; Holland, Norman N. (1984). «Interactive Fiction». Critical Inquiry. 11 (1): 110–129. doi:10.1086/448277. ISSN 0093-1896. S2CID 224795950. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  16. ^ Gass, William H. (2005). «The Concept of Character in Fiction». In Hoffman, Michael J.; Murphy, Patrick D. (eds.). Essentials of the Theory of Fiction (1st ed.). Duke University Press. pp. 113–120. doi:10.1515/9780822386599. ISBN 9780822386599.
  17. ^ Phillips, Brian (2004). «Character in Contemporary Fiction». The Hudson Review. 56 (4): 629–642. doi:10.2307/3852955. ISSN 0018-702X. JSTOR 3852955.
  18. ^ Dibell, Ansen (1999). «What is Plot?». Elements of Fiction Writing — Plot. F+W Media. ISBN 9781599635101.
  19. ^ Rozelle, Ron (2005). «The Importance of Description and Setting». Write Great Fiction — Description & Setting. F+W Media. ISBN 9781582976822.
  20. ^ Kurtz, Victoria; Schober, Michael F. (1 September 2001). «Readers’ varying interpretations of theme in short fiction». Poetics. 29 (3): 139–166. doi:10.1016/S0304-422X(01)00040-7. ISSN 0304-422X.
  21. ^ Jones, Oliver. (2015). «Why Fan Fiction is the Future of Publishing Archived 19 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. »
    The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company LLC.
  22. ^ «Buy Literary Fiction: The Ways We Read Narrative Literature by Geir Farner online in india — Bookchor | 9781623560249». Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  23. ^ «Literature: definition». Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  24. ^ Schneider-Mayerson, Matthew (2010). «Popular Fiction Studies: The Advantages of a New Field». Studies in Popular Culture. 33 (1): 21–3.
  25. ^ «Neal Stephenson Responds With Wit and Humor». Slashdot.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  26. ^ Grossman, Lev (28 May 2006). «Old Master in a Brave New World». Time.
  27. ^ «The Charlie Rose Show from 14 June 2006 with John Updike». Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  28. ^ a b Saricks 2009, p. 180.
  29. ^ Saricks 2009, pp. 181–82.
  30. ^ Saricks 2009, p. 179.
  31. ^ a b Saricks 2009, p. 182.
  32. ^ Rafferty 2011.
  33. ^ Whiteman, G.; Phillips, N. (13 December 2006). «The Role of Narrative Fiction and Semi-Fiction in Organizational Studies». ERIM Report Series Research in Management. ISSN 1566-5283. SSRN 981296.
  34. ^ Doyle, Charlotte L. (1 January 1998). «The Writer Tells: The Creative Process in the Writing of Literary Fiction». Creativity Research Journal. 11 (1): 29–37. doi:10.1207/s15326934crj1101_4. ISSN 1040-0419.
  35. ^ Milhorn, H. Thomas (2006). Writing Genre Fiction: A Guide to the Craft Archived 28 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Universal Publishers: Boca Raton. pp. 3–4.
  36. ^ «What’s the definition of a ‘novella,’ ‘novelette,’ etc.?». Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Archived from the original on 19 March 2009.
  37. ^ Cuddon, J. A., The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms (1992). London: Penguin Books, 1999, p. 600.
  38. ^ Heart of Darkness Novella by Conrad Archived 9 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine – Encyclopædia Britannica.
  39. ^ Friend, Stacie (2017). «The Real Foundation of Fictional Worlds» (PDF). Australasian Journal of Philosophy. 95: 29–42. doi:10.1080/00048402.2016.1149736. S2CID 54200723. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  40. ^ Goodstein, Joshua; Weisberg, Deena Skolnick (2009). «What Belongs in a Fictional World?». Journal of Cognition and Culture. 9 (1–2): 69–78. doi:10.1163/156853709X414647.
  41. ^ Wood, James (2008). How Fiction Works. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. p. xiii.
  42. ^ Young, George W. (1999). Subversive Symmetry. Exploring the Fantastic in Mark 6: 45 – 56. Leiden: Brill. pp. 98, 106–09. ISBN 90-04-11428-9.

References[edit]

  • Rafferty, Terrence (4 February 2011). «Reluctant Seer». The New York Times Sunday Book Review. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  • Saricks, Joyce (2009). The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2nd ed.). ALA Editions. p. 402.

Further reading[edit]

  • Eco, Umberto (15 July 2017). «On the ontology of fictional characters: A semiotic approach». Sign Systems Studies. 37 (1/2): 82–98. doi:10.12697/SSS.2009.37.1-2.04.

External links[edit]

  • «Kate Colquhoun on the blurred boundaries between fiction and non-fiction», La Clé des Langues, 11 September 2012.
  • Example of a Serial Blog/Short Story Magazine Archived 20 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine
Источник

If something is referred to as a work of fiction, what does that mean? What is the difference between something that is fiction and something that is nonfiction? 

This article will define fiction and explore its origins. We’ll also provide example sentences that contain the word fiction, translations of the word fiction, and lists of synonyms and antonyms. 

Keep reading to learn all about fiction!

What Does the Word Fiction Mean?

According to Collins English Dictionary, fiction is a genre of media that refers to an invented story that is not real. The word fiction is two syllables (fic-tion), and the pronunciation of the word fiction is ˈfɪkʃən. 

The many genres of fiction encompass both prose and poetry. Fictional literary works can include short stories, novels, science fiction, fantasy, fables, romance novels, myths, mystery, novellas, popular fiction, horror, suspense, commercial fiction, fairy tales, allegories, and more. 

Nonfiction works contain real facts or are true stories, like dictionaries or memoirs.

What Is the Origin of the Word Fiction?

According to Dictionary, the word fiction is Old French in origin. This word was first used as the Middle English ficcioun. These come from the Latin fictiōn, a stem of fictiō and the past participle of fingere. The stem of these words, fictus, also gives us words like feign. 

How Can We Use Fiction in a Sentence?

Fiction is an excellent way to refer to stories that are invented or made up. To learn how to use fiction in a sentence, you can study these example sentences. It is important to know not only the definition of a word like fiction but also how to use it practically in real life.

Example #1: Favorite Fiction

Her favorite works of fiction were The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. She could read those books over and over again and never get bored.

Here, the word fiction refers to two famous novels that are fictional. What are your favorite fictional novels?

Example #2: Not a Fan of Fiction

He never felt like he could connect to works of fiction and preferred to read memoirs, news stories, and other nonfiction pieces.

If someone does not like fiction, they might prefer nonfiction. Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction pieces?

Example #3: Genres of Fiction

She was very picky about the genres of fiction that she read. She enjoyed reading fantasy and fables but steered clear of things like science fiction and horror.

There are many different genres of fiction that a person might enjoy. Fiction is not one size fits all, so it might take some experimenting to find your favorite genre. 

What Are Translations of Fiction?

Fiction is a genre of media that is popular all around the world! If you are interested in discussing genres or works of fiction with people who do not speak English, you can reference this list of translations from Nice Translator:

  • Hungarian: kitaláció
  • Chinese (Taiwan): 小說
  • Gujarati: કાલ્પનિક
  • Ukrainian: фантастика
  • Swedish: fiktion
  • Catalan: ficció
  • Amharic: ልብ ወለድ
  • Thai: นิยาย
  • Romanian: fictiune
  • Basque: irudientzia
  • Russian: вымысел
  • Chinese (PRC): 小说
  • Slovenian: fikcija
  • Arabic: خيال
  • Bengali: কথাসাহিত্য
  • Marathi: कथा
  • Japanese: フィクション
  • Welsh: ffuglen
  • Hebrew: ספרות בדיונית
  • Filipino: fiction
  • Croatian: fikcija
  • Polish: fikcja
  • Serbian: фикција
  • Portuguese (Brazil): ficção
  • Indonesian: fiksi
  • Latvian: daiļliteratūra
  • Korean: 소설
  • Czech: beletrie
  • Hindi: उपन्यास
  • Icelandic: skáldskapur
  • Tamil: கற்பனை
  • Slovak: fikcia
  • Urdu: فکشن
  • Bulgarian: измислица
  • Norwegian: skjønnlitteratur
  • German: Fiktion
  • Greek: μυθιστόρημα
  • Kannada: ಕಾದಂಬರಿ
  • Lithuanian: Grožinė literatūra
  • Turkish: kurgu
  • French: fiction
  • Telugu: ఫిక్షన్
  • Dutch: fictie
  • Estonian: ilukirjandus
  • Spanish: ficción
  • Finnish: fiktio
  • Portuguese (Portugal): ficção
  • Vietnamese: viễn tưởng
  • Malayalam: പരാമർശിക്കുക

What Are Synonyms of the Word Fiction?

The word fiction is associated with literary works. If you are looking to describe something that is fictional but isn’t a work of literature or media, you might want to use a synonym instead. To learn synonyms of the word fiction, you can reference this list of synonyms of fiction from Power Thesaurus.

  • anecdote
  • apologue
  • cock-and-bull story
  • concoction
  • creative writing
  • fable
  • fables
  • fabrication
  • fabrications
  • fairy story
  • fairy tale
  • falsehood
  • falsification
  • falsity
  • fancy
  • fantasy
  • fib
  • fibs
  • figment
  • fish story
  • half-truth
  • illusion
  • imagination
  • imaginative writing
  • invention
  • legend
  • lie
  • lies
  • misrepresentation
  • myth
  • narrative
  • nonsense
  • novel
  • novelette
  • novella
  • novels
  • parable
  • prevarication
  • prose literature
  • romance
  • sham
  • stories
  • story
  • storytelling
  • tale
  • tall story
  • tall tale
  • untruth
  • whopper
  • writing
  • yarn

What Are Antonyms of the Word Fiction?

Things that are the opposite of fiction are nonfiction or reality. If you are trying to describe something real or truthful, you can use an antonym of fiction. 

How many of these antonyms of fiction from Power Thesaurus do you know?

  • absolute truth
  • academic literature
  • accurate information
  • actual
  • actuality
  • actualness
  • biography
  • case
  • certain
  • certainty
  • chance of a lifetime
  • chance of your life
  • dinkum
  • documentary prose
  • encouragement
  • evidence
  • fact
  • factual knowledge
  • genuine
  • golden opportunity
  • golden ticket
  • great potential
  • historical fact
  • historical record
  • honesty
  • inside story
  • intrinsical
  • materiality
  • matter of fact
  • nonfiction
  • nonfiction prose
  • nonfiction
  • popular-scientific literature
  • rare opportunity
  • real
  • real life
  • realism
  • reality
  • realness
  • research literature
  • truth
  • verity

Conclusion

Fiction refers to media that was made up or invented, unlike the true tales found in nonfiction works. Fiction encompasses many genres, and many people worldwide love consuming fiction. What is your favorite genre of fiction? 

Sources:

  1. Fiction synonyms – 549 Words and Phrases for Fiction | Power Thesaurus 
  2. Fiction antonyms – 142 Opposites of Fiction | Power Thesaurus 
  3. Fiction definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 
  4. Fiction | Dictionary.com 
  5. Fiction | Nice Translator 

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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

Источник

Other forms: fictions

A fiction is a deliberately fabricated account of something. It can also be a literary work based on imagination rather than on fact, like a novel or short story.

The Latin word fictus means “to form,” which seems like a good source for the English word fiction, since fiction is formed in the imagination. Like its literary cousins fable, legend, and myth, however, fiction has a slightly darker additional meaning: a deliberate lie or untruth. When we talk about «the line between fact and fiction,» we’re talking about the difference between truth and lies.

Definitions of fiction

  1. noun

    a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact

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    types:

    show 23 types…
    hide 23 types…
    dystopia

    a work of fiction describing an imaginary place where life is extremely bad because of deprivation or oppression or terror

    novel

    an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story

    fantasy, phantasy

    fiction with a large amount of imagination in it

    story

    a piece of fiction that narrates a chain of related events

    utopia

    a work of fiction describing a utopia

    horror

    a genre of fiction that evokes suspense and feelings of fear

    detective novel, mystery novel

    novel in which the reader is challenged to solve a puzzle before the detective explains it at the end

    dime novel, penny dreadful

    a melodramatic paperback novel

    science fiction

    literary fantasy involving the imagined impact of science on society

    novelette, novella

    a short novel

    roman a clef

    a novel in which actual persons and events are disguised as fictional characters

    romance

    a novel dealing with idealized events remote from everyday life

    roman fleuve

    a French novel in the form of a long chronicle of a family or other social group

    adventure story, heroic tale

    a story of an adventure

    mystery, mystery story, whodunit

    a story about a crime (usually murder) presented as a novel or play or movie

    love story, romance

    a story dealing with love

    fable, legend

    a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

    short story

    a prose narrative shorter than a novel

    allegory, apologue, fable, parable

    a short moral story (often with animal characters)

    myth

    a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

    parable

    (New Testament) any of the stories told by Jesus to convey his religious message

    plot

    the story that is told as in a novel, play, movie, etc.

    bildungsroman

    a novel that focuses on the intellectual, moral, and psychological growth of the main character

    type of:

    literary composition, literary work

    imaginative or creative writing

  2. noun

    a deliberately false or improbable account

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fiction’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Источник

Table of Contents

  1. What is the root word for novel?
  2. Does the word fictional mean true?
  3. Is fiction true or untrue?
  4. Is non fiction fake or real?
  5. What do you call a non fiction book?
  6. What are the examples of non fiction?
  7. Can we use real life in fiction?
  8. Can you get sued for writing fiction?
  9. What is the importance of fiction?
  10. What is the most important element of fiction?
  11. What can we learn from fiction?
  12. What are the 3 types of fiction?
  13. What type of fiction sells best?
  14. How do you classify a fiction book?
  15. How do you classify fiction and nonfiction?
  16. How are non fiction books classified?
  17. What is classified as a novel?
  18. What is the theme of a novel?
  19. What is difference between plot and story?

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. —

What is the root word for novel?

The Latin root word nov means “new.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including novel, supernova, and renovate. The Latin root word nov is easily recalled through the English word novel, for a novel experience is one that has never happened before and so is “new” to you.

Does the word fictional mean true?

Fictional means invented as part of a work of fiction, as in Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective or This account is entirely fictional—it’s not based on a true story. Fictive is a much less commonly used word that means imaginary or relating to or capable of creating fiction, as in a fictive imagination.

Is fiction true or untrue?

By definition “Fiction” refers to literature created from the imagination. Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick lit, crime thrillers are all fiction genres. “Nonfiction” refers to literature based in fact. Fiction is false or made up.

Is non fiction fake or real?

“Fiction” refers to literature created from the imagination. “Nonfiction” refers to literature based in fact. It is the broadest category of literature.

What do you call a non fiction book?

When Truman Capote called In Cold Blood a “nonfiction novel,” he meant something very specific: that the book used the techniques of fiction but was completely factual. That is, fiction novel = novel, and nonfiction novel = nonfiction book.

What are the examples of non fiction?

Major types. Common literary examples of nonfiction include expository, argumentative, functional, and opinion pieces; essays on art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic writings (including electronic ones).

Can we use real life in fiction?

Combining real-life experiences from different parts of your life can be a great way to create a new and successful fictional narrative. Real events have emotional resonance for writers, and combining separate stories into one is a great way of recontextualizing details and crafting a compelling narrative.

Can you get sued for writing fiction?

Thankfully, for writers, the success rate for libel suits tends to be low. The writer need only use enough identifying information in creating the fictional character so that the real person is identifiable to readers. The real person must be living to sue for defamation (the dead cannot suffer reputational harm).

What is the importance of fiction?

Fiction helps you understand other people’s perspectives It is a meld between the mind of the reader and the writer, and the minds of reader and character. When you read fiction, you’re seeing the world through a character’s eyes. Watching a character interact with the world around them is powerful.

What is the most important element of fiction?

The three most important elements of fiction are character, plot, and setting. We can call this the first tier of elements. These elements are essential to fiction—a story without any one of these three is not a story.

What can we learn from fiction?

Philosophers, psychologists, literary critics and humanities scholars have made broad claims for the positive impact of reading fiction: it gives us important insights into human psychology; it confers cognitive advantages; it enhances moral understanding and empathy; it is a valuable source of truth; and it makes us …

What are the 3 types of fiction?

Novels usually fall into three categories: literary fiction, genre fiction, and mainstream fiction.

What type of fiction sells best?

8 Popular Literary Genres

  • Romance: Romance novels are perhaps the most popular genre in terms of book sales.
  • Mystery: Many popular mystery books draw a large readership, especially if they’re part of a larger series.
  • Fantasy and science fiction: Fantasy books often take place in a time period different from our own.

How do you classify a fiction book?

Fiction would follow the fiction schema (alphabetical by author last name, first name and then by title within an author). Non-fiction would be shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System. Audiobooks (CDB) and Playaways (PLA): shelved by their call number using either the fiction or non-fiction schema.

How do you classify fiction and nonfiction?

In general, fiction refers to plot, settings, and characters created from the imagination, while nonfiction refers to factual stories focused on actual events and people.

How are non fiction books classified?

Nonfiction books are grouped together by subject to make it easier to find a book related to a specific topic. The system that most libraries use to organize books was invented by Melvil Dewey and it is called the Dewey Decimal System. Each book is assigned a three-digit call number based on what the book is about.

What is classified as a novel?

A novel is a narrative work of prose fiction that tells a story about specific human experiences over a considerable length. Prose style and length, as well as fictional or semi-fictional subject matter, are the most clearly defining characteristics of a novel.

What is the theme of a novel?

What Is a Literary Theme? A literary theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work. The theme of a story can be conveyed using characters, setting, dialogue, plot, or a combination of all of these elements.

What is difference between plot and story?

Story is the timeline: the sequence of events in your narrative. The point of a plot is to support a story: to make a story come to life. The basic ‘story’ question is ‘what happens next? ‘ Plot is what happens: the sequence of events inside a story.

Источник

  • 1
    fiction

    FICTION

    Существительное fiction по объему значения шире существительного фикция и совпадает с русским эквивалентом только в значении ‘вымысел, измышление’: mere fiction of mind. Наряду с этим fiction имеет значение ‘беллетристика’, не свойственное русскому фикция: works of fiction, science fiction ‘научно-фантастическая литература’.

    Difficulties of the English language (lexical reference) English-Russian dictionary > fiction

  • 2
    fiction

    •• fiction, non-fiction

    •• Fiction of the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration (The Random House Dictionary).

    •• Две основные категории литературы по принятой в англоязычных странах классификации. Fiction – беллетристика, или художественная литература (правда, назвать так многие книги этой категории просто язык не поворачивается), non-fiction – публицистика, документальная проза, общественно-политическая литература.

    English-Russian nonsystematic dictionary > fiction

  • 3
    fiction

    1) вы́мысел, вы́думка, фи́кция

    2) беллетри́стика; худо́жественная литерату́ра;

    Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > fiction

  • 4
    fiction

    Персональный Сократ > fiction

  • 5
    fiction

    [ˈfɪkʃən]

    fiction беллетристика; художественная литература; works of fiction романы; повести fiction вымысел, выдумка, фикция fiction юр. фикция; legal fiction юридическая фикция fiction юр. фикция; legal fiction юридическая фикция legal fiction юридическая фикция science fiction научная фантастика space fiction фантастические романы и рассказы о межпланетных путешествиях fiction беллетристика; художественная литература; works of fiction романы; повести

    English-Russian short dictionary > fiction

  • 6
    fiction

    1. n беллетристика, художественная литература, художественная проза

    2. n художественное произведение

    3. n вымысел, выдумка; фикция

    4. n юр. фикция

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. dream (noun) creation; dream; fancy; fantasy; figment; illusion; imagination; invention; myth; phantasm; reverie; vision

    2. story (noun) canard; drama; fable; fabrication; falsehood; falsity; fib; figment; legend; lie; misrepresentation; misstatement; myth; narrative; novel; prevarication; romance; story; tale; unreality; untruth; whopper

    Антонимический ряд:

    actuality; authenticity; biography; certainty; circumstance; event; face; fact; genuineness; happening; history; incident; occurrence; reality

    English-Russian base dictionary > fiction

  • 7
    fiction

    [ʹfıkʃ(ə)n]

    1. 1) беллетристика, художественная литература, художественная проза

    works of fiction — романы, повести

    writer of fiction — писатель; прозаик; беллетрист

    2) художественное произведение ()

    2. вымысел, выдумка; фикция

    her account was complete fiction — сказанное ею было выдумано с начала до конца

    fact is stranger than fiction — действительность бывает более удивительной, чем вымысел

    legal fiction, fiction of law — юридическая фикция

    НБАРС > fiction

  • 8
    fiction

    ˈfɪkʃən сущ.
    1) а) выдумка, домысел, фантазия Ex pure fiction ≈ чистый вымысел Syn: invention, fantasy б) байка, сказка, мн. россказни Syn: fable
    2) а) беллетристика;
    художественная литература science fiction ≈ фантастика б) произведение художественной литературы (роман, рассказ и т.д.) Syn: novel
    3) юр. фикция
    беллетристика, художественная литература, художественная проза — works of * романы, повести — light * легкое чтение — writer of * писатель;
    прозаик;
    беллетрист — he prefers history to * он предпочитает историю беллетристике художественное произведение( роман, рассказ и т. п.) вымысел, выдумка;
    фикция — her account was complete * сказанное ею было выдумано с начала до конца — to distinguish fact from * отличить реальное от вымысла — fact is stranger than * действительность бывает более удивительной, чем вымысел (юридическое) фикция — legal *, * of law юридическая фикция
    fiction беллетристика;
    художественная литература;
    works of fiction романы;
    повести ~ вымысел, выдумка, фикция ~ юр. фикция;
    legal fiction юридическая фикция
    ~ юр. фикция;
    legal fiction юридическая фикция legal ~ юридическая фикция
    science ~ научная фантастика
    space ~ фантастические романы и рассказы о межпланетных путешествиях
    fiction беллетристика;
    художественная литература;
    works of fiction романы;
    повести

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > fiction

  • 9
    fiction

    Существительное fiction имеет более широкое значение, чем русское слово «фикция», и совпадает с русским только в значении «вымысел, измышление»:

    I think all this man’s titles must be pure fiction. — Я думаю, что все звания этого человека — просто фикция.

    Fact is sometimes stranger than fiction. — Факты иногда бывают удивительнее вымысла.

    Наряду с этим fiction имеет значение «беллетристика»: a writer of fiction — писатель-беллетрист.

    He prefers history to fiction. — Он предпочитает историческую литературу беллетристике.

    Science fiction — научно-фантастическая литература.

    English-Russian dictionary of expressions > fiction

  • 10
    fiction

    English-Russian combinatory dictionary > fiction

  • 11
    fiction

    1. беллетристика, художественная литература

    2. романы; жанр романа

    English-Russian big polytechnic dictionary > fiction

  • 12
    fiction

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > fiction

  • 13
    fiction

    [‘fɪkʃ(ə)n]

    сущ.

    1) выдумка, домысел, фантазия

    Syn:

    2) байка, сказка, россказни

    Syn:

    3)

    а) беллетристика; художественная литература

    airport fiction — «аэровокзальное чтиво»

    Syn:

    Англо-русский современный словарь > fiction

  • 14
    fiction

    The Americanisms. English-Russian dictionary. > fiction

  • 15
    fiction

    1) беллетристика, художественная литература

    2) фикция; вымысел

    •


    — science fiction

    English-Russian electronics dictionary > fiction

  • 16
    fiction

    1) беллетристика, художественная литература

    2) фикция; вымысел

    •


    — science fiction

    The New English-Russian Dictionary of Radio-electronics > fiction

  • 17
    fiction

    noun

    1) вымысел, выдумка, фикция

    2) беллетристика; художественная литература; works of fiction романы; повести

    3)

    leg.

    фикция; legal fiction юридическая фикция

    Syn:

    novel

    * * *

    (n) беллетристика; вымысел; художественная литература; художественное произведение

    * * *

    * * *

    [fic·tion || ‘fɪkʃn]
    беллетристика, художественная литература, вымысел, выдумка, фикция

    * * *

    баснословие

    беллетристика

    выдумка

    вымысел

    повести

    фикция

    * * *

    1) а) выдумка
    б) байка, сказка, мн. россказни
    2) а) беллетристика; художественная литература
    б) произведение художественной литературы (роман, рассказ и т.д.)
    3) юр. фикция

    Новый англо-русский словарь > fiction

  • 18
    fiction

    художественная проза, беллетристика;

    English-Russian dictionary false friends > fiction

  • 19
    fiction

    беллетристика, художественная литература

    The English annotation is below. (English-Russian) > fiction

  • 20
    fiction

    Англо-русский юридический словарь > fiction

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См. также в других словарях:

  • fiction — [ fiksjɔ̃ ] n. f. • XIIIe; lat. fictio, de fictus, p. p. de fingere → feindre 1 ♦ Vx Mensonge. « Si la fiction est excusable, c est où il faut feindre de l amitié » (La Bruyère). 2 ♦ (v. 1361) Construction de l imagination (opposé à réalité).⇒… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Fiction — is the telling of stories which are not real. More specifically, fiction is an imaginative form of narrative, one of the four basic rhetorical modes. Although the word fiction is derived from the Latin fingo, fingere, finxi, fictum , to form,… …   Wikipedia

  • Fiction — Studioalbum von Dark Tranquillity Veröffentlichung 20. April 2007 Label Century Media …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fiction — Fic tion, n. [F. fiction, L. fictio, fr. fingere, fictum to form, shape, invent, feign. See {Feign}.] 1. The act of feigning, inventing, or imagining; as, by a mere fiction of the mind. Bp. Stillingfleet. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is feigned,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fiction — fic·tion n: legal fiction fic·tion·al adj Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. fiction …   Law dictionary

  • fiction — fiction, figment, fabrication, fable are comparable when meaning a story, an account, an explanation, or a conception which is an invention of the human mind. Fiction so strongly implies the use of the imagination that it serves as the class name …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • -fiction — ÉTYM. (V. 1960). ❖ ♦ Élément de noms composés, sur le modèle de science fiction, et qui signifie « qui relève de l imaginaire », ou « qui relève de l utopie ». 0 Un journaliste a décrit cette mécanique d un effrayant pouvoir dans un roman de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Fiction — Студийный альбом Dark Tranquillity Дата выпуска 17 апреля 2 …   Википедия

  • fiction — Fiction. s. f. v. Invention fabuleuse. Fiction poëtique. ce poëme est rempli de belles fictions. il y a des fictions qui touchent plus que la verité. la fiction est quelquefois plus agreable que la verité mesme. Il se prend aussi, pour Mensonge,… …   Dictionnaire de l’Académie française

  • Fiction —   [ fɪkʃn; englisch, Fiktion], Sammelbezeichnung für fiktive Literatur, Prosadichtungen, Romane, Science fiction (soweit nicht dokumentarisch); Gegensatz Non Fiction u. a. für dokumentarische Literatur, Sachbücher, historische Werke …   Universal-Lexikon

  • fiction — (izg. fȉkšn) m DEFINICIJA 1. knjiž. a. književni tekst čiji je sadržaj proizvod mašte, nije nužno da odgovara činjenicama iz povijesti ili suvremenosti b. književna vrsta koja uključuje tekstove ove vrste, opr. faction 2. razg. proizvod mašte… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

Источник

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