fiction
gb/fˈɪkʃən/ us/fˈɪkʃən/
B1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Imaginary stories in books or writing
Stories in books that are not true but made up by the writer.
Usage pattern:
[someone] writes/reads [fiction]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fiction' with 'novel'. A novel is one type of fiction, but fiction also includes short stories and other forms.
Synonyms
novel (A long fictional story, usually in book form; a type of fiction.)
|
story (A narrative, which can be true or fictional; less formal than 'fiction'.)
Antonyms
non-fiction (Writing based on facts and real events, opposite of fiction.)
Collocations
science fiction
|historical fiction
|detective fiction
|work of fiction
|fiction writer
|popular fiction
Themes
literature
|entertainment
|media
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She prefers reading fiction to non-fiction.
- His latest book is a work of historical fiction.
- Science fiction often explores ideas about the future.
- The library has a large fiction section.
- I enjoy detective fiction for its suspense.
Learner examples
- I like to read fiction at night.
- This book is fiction, not real history.
- He writes fiction about space travel.
- Fiction can be fun to read.
Noun
B2
entity
2
A false or invented story or idea
A story or idea that is not true but made up.
Usage pattern:
[something] is (pure) fiction
Common mistake:
Learners may only associate 'fiction' with books and not realize it can mean any false story or idea.
Synonyms
fabrication (Implies deliberate invention of false information.)
|
myth (A widely held but false belief; can also mean a traditional story.)
Antonyms
fact (A statement that is true and based on reality.)
Collocations
pure fiction
|legal fiction
|create a fiction
|maintain a fiction
Themes
truth
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The rumor about her resignation is pure fiction.
- His account of the event turned out to be fiction.
- In court, the lawyer argued that the story was a legal fiction.
- They lived under the comforting fiction that all was well.
Learner examples
- That story is pure fiction.
- The news was fiction, not real.
- His report was just fiction.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fiction
IPA
GB/fˈɪkʃən/
US/fˈɪkʃən/
Syllables & stress
fic - tion (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fic)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fiction
- Plural: fiction, fictions
Word family
Forms
fictions
noun
Core family
fictional
adjective B1
Related words
fictitious
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
nonfiction
noun B1
nonfictional
adjective
Advanced or less common
fictionalize
verb
fictionalization
noun
Expressions
legal fiction
1/lˈiɡəl fˈɪkʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
Assumption in law not literally true
A thing that the law treats as true even if it is not really true.
Examples
- The company is considered a person under the legal fiction of corporate personhood.
- Legal fictions allow courts to apply laws in certain situations.
truth is stranger than fiction
1/tɹˈuθ ˈɪz stɹˈeɪnd͡ʒɚ ðən fˈɪkʃən/
idiom
Real events can be more surprising than made-up stories
Sometimes real life is more surprising or unusual than things people invent in stories.
Examples
- Her life story proves that truth is stranger than fiction.
- Sometimes news stories show that truth is stranger than fiction.
science fiction
1/sˈaɪəns fˈɪkʃən/
fixed phrase
fiction about future technology and science
Stories about imaginary future events, often with space travel or new technology.
Examples
- He loves reading science fiction novels.
- I love science fiction movies about space exploration.
- Many science fiction films imagine life on other planets.
- Science fiction often imagines advanced technology and alien life.