Fictional and Fictitious

Fictional and Fictitious Fictional and Fictitious Fictional and Fictitious By Maeve Maddox Websters Unabridged Dictionary gives the same definition for both fictional and fictitious: of, relating to, characterized by, or suggestive of fiction. Fiction, of course, is anything untrue, whether its a lie or a novel. Websters gives six definitions for fiction, among them: 1 : the act of creating something imaginary : a fabrication of the mind 2 a : an intentional fabrication : a convenient assumption that overlooks known facts in order to achieve an immediate goal b : an unfounded, invented, or deceitful statement 3 a : fictitious literature (as novels, tales, romances) b : a work of fiction; especially : NOVEL Making a distinction between fictional and fictitious, however, is both useful and customary. Fictional tends to be used in talking about fiction in the sense of creative writing: Alice in Wonderland is a fictional character created by the mathematician Charles Dodgson. Fictitious tends to carry a negative connotation and is used to denote fiction associated with dishonesty: The man used a fictitious resumà © to obtain the job. We praise Ken Follett for writing a fictional account of the building of a cathedral, but we condemn a journalist who incorporates fictitious elements in a news story. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyAt Your DisposalWhat Is the Meaning of "Hack?"