Word of the Week: Cloy

by Naomi L. | December 9, 2013 | Blog, Word of the Week | 1 comment

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Sheldon: Would you like to see my cats?

Amy: I would. I love cats. They’re the epitome of indifference.

Sheldon: Ah, then you may find Zazzles a little cloying.

– The Big Bang Theory (Season 4, Episode 3 – The Zazzy Substitution)

That’s right; it’s another vocabulary word from The Big Bang Theory! To be fair, I was already familiar with this one before I noticed it on the show, but this dialogue was the first time I could remember hearing it being used in context. This example comes from an episode when Dr. Sheldon Cooper adopts 25 cats in a subconscious attempt to get over his “girl-and-friend-but-not-girlfriend” Amy Farrah Fowler after they “break up”. Upon reconciling with her and offering to introduce his pets, Sheldon warns Amy that if she appreciates cats for their standoffish nature, she may find a certain one named Zazzles a little too sweet for her taste (because he’s so, as Sheldon puts it, “zazzy”).

To “cloy” is to sicken somebody with exaggerated sweetness. When used in its more common adjective form “cloying”, it basically means “sickeningly sweet”. The word can be traced back to the Old French verb encloyer, meaning “to drive a nail into”. This, in turn, originates from the Latin verb inclavare, which comes from the noun clavus “nail”.

You’ll probably never see me use the word “cloy” as a verb in my stories, simply because it isn’t very common. As the adjective “cloying”, however, I find it appealing. I’d probably use it to describe things (or even characters) that are too sweet for their own good, potentially to the point of putting people off. It’s always good to know a word that sums up the exact feeling you want to portray!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Declension

by Naomi L. | December 2, 2013 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I have bad memories of this word from studying for a standardized test through my iPod. No matter how many times it came up in my vocabulary app, I could never remember what it meant. Maybe that was because I had never seen it before I started using the app, at least not with the definition it was trying to teach me. Until that point, “declension” for me was simply a grammatical term used to identify variations of words (case, number, gender, etc.). Apparently, though, it can work just as well in fiction as in non-fiction.

In its poetic and literary sense, “declension” refers to decline or deterioration. The word is derived from the French noun déclinaison, which comes from the verb décliner “to decline”. This originated from the Latin verb declinare, meaning “to bend” or “to lower”. Originally written as “declinson” in Middle English, the spelling may have changed due to association with other words ending in -sion (e.g. “ascension”).

Honestly, I don’t know if I’d use “declension” very much in my writing. Since I’ve grown accustomed to seeing it as a reference for grammar, I probably wouldn’t bother finding a place for it in my stories. Still, it can certainly add a poetic touch to your work. If you want to describe the level of moral deterioration among your characters, “declension” is a good word to consider!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Ephemeral

by Naomi L. | November 25, 2013 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I love this word. I’m not even entirely sure why, but I do. It was one of those words that I had to look up as soon as I heard it, and which I had to start using as soon as I knew what it meant. I think it sounds very poetic, and when used well, it can really add to the flow of a story. After all, what’s the fun of calling something “short-lived” when you can use a more artistic-sounding word instead?

That which is “ephemeral” is fleeting, lasting only a short time. The word comes from the Greek adjective ephemeros, which literally means “for one day”, as it’s comprised of the roots epi “on” and hemera “day”. This is also the origin of the English noun “ephemeron” (best known by its plural form, “ephemera”), referring to things that exist for only a short period of time.

Interestingly, this word is especially meaningful to me because of my background in Ecology. Biologically, “ephemeral” is used to refer to species (particularly plants) with a very short life cycle, and can also function as a noun to indicate these types of organisms. As for its general uses, “ephemeral” falls close to the extreme of the “temporary” spectrum – just above “evanescent”, which indicates what vanishes almost as soon as it appears. So if you like to describe things that last about a day or a similarly short period of time, this is a good word to know. In my opinion, a great way to add a poetic touch to your stories is by writing about the “ephemeral” things in life!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Pulchritude

by Naomi L. | November 18, 2013 | Blog, Word of the Week | 6 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I stumbled upon this word while looking through some old vocabulary flashcards, and I distinctly remember the first thought that came to mind when I read it: What an ugly word. It didn’t just look ugly; it sounded ugly. In fact, as soon as I saw it, I assumed it meant something along the lines of “disgust” or “repulsion”. To my surprise, the other side of the card proved me very wrong: “beauty”. “Beauty”? Seriously? How could such an ugly word have such a lovely definition? It was strange, to say the least. But then again, who am I to judge the quirks of language?

“Pulchritude” is a poetic and literary term meaning “beauty”. The word comes from the Latin noun pulchritudo, which also means “beauty”. This, in turn, stems from the adjective pulcher, meaning “beautiful” or “handsome”. “Pulchritude” dates back to Middle English, possibly explaining its poetic uses.

The word “pulchritude” is certainly interesting, I’ll give it that. Having said that, I highly doubt you’ll ever see me use it in my writing. I just can’t get past that harsh tone; there are definitely much softer words I’d prefer to use as synonyms for “beauty”. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use it, of course. If you like unusual poetic words, then by all means, write about the “pulchritude” of a woman in her prime or a cherry tree in spring. If you can appreciate the literary history behind this word, I’m sure you’ll be able to use it well. Have fun!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

Word of the Week: Fastidious

by Naomi L. | November 11, 2013 | Blog, Word of the Week | 4 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Ana Pascal: My tax files. (pulls out a box full of loose papers)

Harold Crick: You keep your files like this?

Ana: No, actually I’m quite fastidious. I put them in this box just to screw with you.

– Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

The above dialogue from the film Stranger Than Fiction is a great example of how the meaning of an uncommon word can be made perfectly clear in context. While being audited by IRS agent Harold Crick, Ana Pascal claims that contrary to his first impression, she’s actually very neat and organized. She makes it clear that the only reason she presents her tax files in such disarray is to spite the “taxman” who’s come to disrupt her life, a plan that pretty much works exactly the way she hoped.

A “fastidious” person is someone who is particularly attentive to detail, especially in matters of cleanliness. Interestingly, this adjective comes from the Latin noun fastidium, which means “loathing” or “squeamishness”. The original definition of the word was “disagreeable” or “disgusting”, and current meanings arose in the 17th century.

Despite its association with cleanliness, “fastidious” might still carry hints of its original definitions. My SAT flashcards, for instance, define the word as “difficult to please” or “squeamish”, suggesting a person whose attention to detail leads them to easily find fault in what they observe. Personally, I prefer the definition used in Stranger Than Fiction, but it’s up to you to figure out how best to work this word into your own writing. Perhaps you can even have fun writing for a character who’s “fastidious” in every way imaginable!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?