fictive

adjective

fic·​tive ˈfik-tiv How to pronounce fictive (audio)
1
: not genuine : feigned
2
: of, relating to, or capable of imaginative creation
3
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fiction : fictional
fictively adverb
fictiveness noun

Examples of fictive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Events remain piercingly actual and threatening in their effects on real people, while also being duplicated in a fictive system that shows and spoofs them at the same time. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024 Tidy narratives of progress—always somewhat fictive, useful to journalists and publicists more than to consumers and artists—started to degrade. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2024 So being connected, even this fictive version of reading the New York Times every day, that was part of that. Jason Simon, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024 Set at the outbreak of World War I, this fictive tale of invading German forces wreaking havoc in the Belgian countryside depicts just one arena for violence in a conflict that would drag on for another four years. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fictive 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fictive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin fictīvus "imaginative, imaginary," from Latin fictus, past participle of fingere "to mold, fashion, make a likeness of, pretend to be" + -īvus -ive — more at feign

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fictive was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near fictive

Cite this Entry

“Fictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictive. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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