magical realism
Say it: MAJ-ih-kul REE-uh-liz-um /ˌmædʒɪkəl ˈrɪəlɪzəm/ · noun phrase
What “magical realism” means
Realistic stories where magical things happen and seem ordinary.
More precisely: Realistic fiction in which magical events are treated as ordinary.
Example: “García Márquez made magical realism famous with One Hundred Years of Solitude.”
When to use it
When discussing otherwise realistic fiction in which impossible events are accepted calmly as part of everyday life.
Similar words
fabulism, marvellous realism
Where it comes from
Term coined by the German critic Franz Roh in 1925.
Quick check
In an otherwise realistic village story, a grandmother floats while cooking and nobody finds it strange. What style is this?
science fiction or magical realism?
Show the answer
magical realism
Learn 5 new words a day in Kinquire. Each with a picture, how to say it, an example and a quick check, then spaced review so you actually keep them. Free to start.
Learn “magical realism”