fictional

Everyday

1. Invented, made up, not real, as in «a fictional character». tree →
2. To do with fiction, stories that are imagined rather than true. tree →

In the lessons

In English lessons, pupils sort books into fiction (made-up stories) and non-fiction (facts). Harry Potter and Paddington Bear are fictional characters. In reading tests you may be asked whether a text is fictional or factual. In media lessons, fictional TV shows are not the news.

Examples

• Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective. tree →
• The village in the book is fictional, but it is based on a real place. tree →
• Dragons are fictional creatures. tree →
• We wrote a fictional diary of a Roman soldier. tree →
• The film is fictional, even though it feels real. tree →
• Is this a fictional story or a true one? tree →

Note

Opposite: «real», «factual», «non-fiction». Do not confuse «fictional» with «fictitious» (made up in order to trick, like a fictitious name) — though they are close.