climate fiction: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-mediumFormal, academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “climate fiction” mean?
A genre of fiction that focuses on climate change and its impacts on society and the environment.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A genre of fiction that focuses on climate change and its impacts on society and the environment.
A literary and artistic movement exploring anthropogenic climate change, ecological collapse, and humanity's relationship with a transformed or transforming planet, often employing speculative, dystopian, or science fiction elements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more established in academic and literary circles in the UK, while in the US it has stronger connections to popular science fiction and environmental activism.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in literary and environmental discourse in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “climate fiction” in a Sentence
[Author] writes climate fiction.[Novel] is a work of climate fiction.The genre of climate fiction explores [theme].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “climate fiction” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Several authors are now climate-fictioning the near future.
- The writer climate-fictioned a world after the Gulf Stream collapsed.
American English
- More novelists are starting to climate fiction.
- She climate-fictioned a compelling tale of coastal cities.
adverb
British English
- The novel was written very climate-fictionally.
- He writes climate-fictionally about the Arctic.
American English
- The plot unfolds climate-fictionally.
- She thinks climate-fictionally about policy impacts.
adjective
British English
- It was a climate-fiction narrative.
- The climate-fiction elements were subtle but powerful.
American English
- That's a cli-fi book.
- The story has a strong climate-fiction vibe.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in publishing industry reports on genre trends.
Academic
Common in literary studies, environmental humanities, and cultural studies departments.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used mainly by readers interested in speculative fiction or environmental issues.
Technical
Used as a defined category in literary criticism and genre studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “climate fiction”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “climate fiction”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “climate fiction”
- Using 'climate fiction' to refer to any fiction set in a natural environment (it must centrally involve climate change).
- Misspelling as 'climatic fiction'.
- Confusing it with non-fiction about climate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Climate fiction is generally considered a subgenre of science fiction or speculative fiction, distinguished by its primary focus on climate change and its consequences.
The term 'cli-fi' is widely credited to journalist and climate activist Dan Bloom in the late 2000s, though the genre itself existed earlier.
Early examples include J.G. Ballard's 'The Drowned World' (1962). Notable modern works are 'The Ministry for the Future' by Kim Stanley Robinson and 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers.
Yes. While often dystopian, a subgenre sometimes called 'solarpunk' or 'hopeful cli-fi' explores optimistic or solution-oriented narratives about addressing climate change.
A genre of fiction that focuses on climate change and its impacts on society and the environment.
Climate fiction is usually formal, academic, literary in register.
Climate fiction: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklaɪ.mət ˌfɪk.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklaɪ.mət ˌfɪk.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A cli-fi thriller”
- “Bleak climate fiction”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CLImate FICtion: Fiction about the CLImate.
Conceptual Metaphor
FICTION IS A LABORATORY (for exploring future climate scenarios); THE BOOK IS A WARNING.
Practice
Quiz
What is a common abbreviation for 'climate fiction'?