"fictionalize" meaning in English

See fictionalize in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ˈfɪk.ʃən.əl.aɪz/ [UK, US] Forms: fictionalizes [present, singular, third-person], fictionalizing [participle, present], fictionalized [participle, past], fictionalized [past], fictionalise [alternative]
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti Proto-Italic *θingō Proto-Italic *fingōder. Latin fingō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin fictiōder. Old French ficcionbor. Middle English ficcioun English fiction Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English fictional Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English fictionalize From fictional + -ize. Etymology templates: {{etymon|en|:af|fictional|-ize|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti Proto-Italic *θingō Proto-Italic *fingōder. Latin fingō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin fictiōder. Old French ficcionbor. Middle English ficcioun English fiction Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English fictional Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English fictionalize From fictional + -ize. Head templates: {{en-verb}} fictionalize (third-person singular simple present fictionalizes, present participle fictionalizing, simple past and past participle fictionalized)
  1. (transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance). Tags: transitive
    Sense id: en-fictionalize-en-verb-RcDw-fkF Categories (other): English terms with collocations, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ize, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees, Fiction Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 50 50 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 50 50 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 50 50 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ize: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 50 50 Disambiguation of Fiction: 50 50
  2. (transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance).
    (transitive) To convert (something) real into a novel or other dramatic work.
    Tags: transitive
    Sense id: en-fictionalize-en-verb-tGAoYhRH Categories (other): English terms with collocations, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ize, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees, Fiction Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 50 50 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 50 50 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 50 50 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ize: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 50 50 Disambiguation of Fiction: 50 50
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: fictionalizer, semifictionalized, unfictionalized Related terms: fictionalization, docudrama, docufiction, faction, roman à clef (english: a type of fictionalization)

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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  "derived": [
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      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "fictionalizer"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "semifictionalized"
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    {
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    }
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        "2": ":af",
        "3": "fictional",
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        "text": "+",
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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti\nProto-Italic *θingō\nProto-Italic *fingōder.\nLatin fingō\nProto-Indo-European *-tisder.\nProto-Italic *-tjō\nLatin -tiō\nLatin fictiōder.\nOld French ficcionbor.\nMiddle English ficcioun\nEnglish fiction\nProto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.?\nProto-Italic *-ālis\nLatin -ālisbor.\nOld French -albor.\n▲\nLatin -ālis\nOld French -elbor.\n▲\nLatin -ālisbor.\nMiddle English -al\nEnglish -al\nEnglish fictional\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íďďō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish fictionalize\nFrom fictional + -ize.",
      "name": "etymon"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti\nProto-Italic *θingō\nProto-Italic *fingōder.\nLatin fingō\nProto-Indo-European *-tisder.\nProto-Italic *-tjō\nLatin -tiō\nLatin fictiōder.\nOld French ficcionbor.\nMiddle English ficcioun\nEnglish fiction\nProto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.?\nProto-Italic *-ālis\nLatin -ālisbor.\nOld French -albor.\n▲\nLatin -ālis\nOld French -elbor.\n▲\nLatin -ālisbor.\nMiddle English -al\nEnglish -al\nEnglish fictional\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íďďō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish fictionalize\nFrom fictional + -ize.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fictionalizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalise",
      "tags": [
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      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
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      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "fictionalization"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "docudrama"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "docufiction"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "faction"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "english": "a type of fictionalization",
      "translation": "a type of fictionalization",
      "word": "roman à clef"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
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          "name": "English terms with collocations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Fiction",
          "orig": "en:Fiction",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
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      "examples": [
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          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              10,
              23
            ]
          ],
          "tags": [
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          ],
          "text": "a lightly fictionalized account of [X]",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance)."
      ],
      "id": "en-fictionalize-en-verb-RcDw-fkF",
      "links": [
        [
          "retell",
          "retell"
        ],
        [
          "real",
          "real"
        ],
        [
          "fiction",
          "fiction"
        ],
        [
          "reality",
          "reality"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
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          "parents": [],
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          "name": "Fiction",
          "orig": "en:Fiction",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance).",
        "To convert (something) real into a novel or other dramatic work."
      ],
      "id": "en-fictionalize-en-verb-tGAoYhRH",
      "links": [
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          "retell",
          "retell"
        ],
        [
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          "real"
        ],
        [
          "fiction",
          "fiction"
        ],
        [
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          "reality"
        ],
        [
          "novel",
          "novel"
        ],
        [
          "drama",
          "drama"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance).",
        "(transitive) To convert (something) real into a novel or other dramatic work."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪk.ʃən.əl.aɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "fictionalize"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with etymology trees",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰeyǵʰ-",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂el- (grow)",
    "English terms suffixed with -ize",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymology trees",
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  "derived": [
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        "text": "+",
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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *dʰi-né-ǵʰ-ti\nProto-Italic *θingō\nProto-Italic *fingōder.\nLatin fingō\nProto-Indo-European *-tisder.\nProto-Italic *-tjō\nLatin -tiō\nLatin fictiōder.\nOld French ficcionbor.\nMiddle English ficcioun\nEnglish fiction\nProto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.?\nProto-Italic *-ālis\nLatin -ālisbor.\nOld French -albor.\n▲\nLatin -ālis\nOld French -elbor.\n▲\nLatin -ālisbor.\nMiddle English -al\nEnglish -al\nEnglish fictional\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íďďō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish fictionalize\nFrom fictional + -ize.",
      "name": "etymon"
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  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fictionalizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
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    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fictionalized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
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      ]
    }
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
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      "word": "fictionalization"
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      "word": "docudrama"
    },
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      "word": "docufiction"
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    {
      "word": "faction"
    },
    {
      "english": "a type of fictionalization",
      "translation": "a type of fictionalization",
      "word": "roman à clef"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
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        "English terms with collocations",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
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              23
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance)."
      ],
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          "fiction"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with collocations",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance).",
        "To convert (something) real into a novel or other dramatic work."
      ],
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          "retell"
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          "real"
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          "novel"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To retell (something) real (e.g., an event or series of events) as if it were fiction; especially, to do so in a way that departs from reality in any extent from mild to extensive (from minor details to essential substance).",
        "(transitive) To convert (something) real into a novel or other dramatic work."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪk.ʃən.əl.aɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "fictionalize"
}

Download raw JSONL data for fictionalize meaning in English (4.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-04-01 using wiktextract (7de0cf9 and 9452535). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.