adj.
Pronunciation: fik- ' ti-sh ə s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin ficticius artificial, feigned, from fictus
Date: circa 1633
1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of fiction : IMAGINARY
2 a : conventionally or hypothetically assumed or accepted <a fictitious concept> b of a name : FALSE , ASSUMED
3 : not genuinely felt
– fic · ti · tious · ly adverb
– fic · ti · tious · ness noun
synonyms FICTITIOUS , FABULOUS , LEGENDARY , MYTHICAL , APOCRYPHAL mean having the nature of something imagined or invented. FICTITIOUS implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception < fictitious characters>. FABULOUS stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence <a land of fabulous riches>. LEGENDARY suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition <the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett>. MYTHICAL implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination < mythical creatures>. APOCRYPHAL implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate <a book that repeats many apocryphal stories>.