Words / C1

fik-TISH-uh-s/fɪkˈtɪʃəs/

Fictitious means invented rather than true: a fictitious address, a fictitious n. Fiction (already in the dictionary) is the noun of made-up stories; rounding “just a little” is still a methods fail.

Meaning

Invented rather than true; not real.

Examples

• “A fictitious n in the abstract is a methods fail, not a rounding.”
• “False is everyday. Invented is the close twin. A rounding is talk. A cell is a count. Put the raw number in; then round in the codebook if the rule still allows it.”

Good to know

Made up; not real. Noun: fiction (already in the dictionary). A rounding ≠ a true n.

Near in meaning

false, invented, fabricated

New