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pious fiction

pious fiction

9.9
A story that teaches religious or moral lessons instead of showing real life
  • noun
  • /ˈpaɪəs ˈfɪkʃən/
  • Literature
translation icon : ficción piadosa
  • The author was known for weaving pious fiction into his children’s books to impart moral lessons.

Examples

  • Some critics dismissed the novel as mere pious fiction, lacking in genuine human conflict.

  • Her stories, earnestly written as pious fiction, found a devoted audience among religious readers.

  • Many authors write pious fiction to inspire their readers.

  • The novel is an example of pious fiction.

  • Her stories, earnestly written as pious fiction, found a devoted audience among religious readers.

  • The author was known for weaving pious fiction into his children’s books to impart moral lessons.

  • Some critics dismissed the novel as mere pious fiction, lacking in genuine human conflict.

How Religious

devotional
1 6.1
pious fiction
  • Literature
9.9

Surface Forms

pious fiction singular

Morphology

pious + fiction

The adjective 'pious' (devout/religious) directly modifies 'fiction' (an invented account), so a learner who knows both words can infer a story intended to express or promote religious or moral sentiments. This is a straightforward adjective+noun composition found across languages and does not involve idiomatic or metaphorical shift, making the meaning readily derivable.

Etymology

Pious fiction links two clear words: pious (deeply religious) and fiction (a made-up story). One simple way to see it is that such stories were written 'to teach a moral or religious lesson' instead of showing real life, so today the phrase means a story that helps belief rather than showing real life.