Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Nonfiction has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
prose writing that is not fictional
"The bookshelf holds both novels and nonfiction, so I decided to read a biography instead of fiction tonight."
Written works intended to give facts, or true accounts of real things and events. Often used attributively.
"The library recently expanded its nonfiction section to include more biographies and historical accounts."
In plain English: Nonfiction is writing that tells true stories and facts about real people, places, and events instead of making things up.
"She decided to read a biography about her favorite historical figure for school."
Usage: Use nonfiction as an adjective before another noun, such as in "a nonfiction book," rather than placing it after the verb like you would with a standard object. This term specifically refers to factual writing about real people or events, distinguishing it from imaginative literature without implying that every detail is strictly verifiable history.
The word nonfiction is formed by combining the prefix non- with fiction. It was created to describe writing that presents factual events rather than imagined stories.