Word
fictitious
Phoneticsfic·ti·tious, stress on the second syllable
US/fɪkˈtɪʃəs/
UK/fɪktˈɪʃəs/
Definition
adj. not real or true, but made up as part of a story. You use this to describe characters, names, or events that only exist in books or movies.
adj. invented or imaginary; not existing in fact. Often used to describe literary creations or false identities created for deception.
Examples
“The story is set in a fictitious town in the mountains.”
“To protect her privacy, the author used a fictitious name when she checked into the hotel.”
“The legal team argued that the evidence was based on fictitious accounts provided by witnesses who were not present at the scene.”
Examples
simple
“The story is set in a fictitious town in the mountains.”
contextual
“To protect her privacy, the author used a fictitious name when she checked into the hotel.”
complex
“The legal team argued that the evidence was based on fictitious accounts provided by witnesses who were not present at the scene.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; frequently contrasted with 'factual' or 'biographical'.
Pitfall
a fictional character
a fictitious character
While often interchangeable, 'fictional' usually refers to literature, whereas 'fictitious' often implies a false or deceptive invention like a fake name or address.
Real-World Examples
“Schools received an email from a fictitious two-parent household with both a mother and father interested in enrolling a child.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin fictīcius.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/fictitious