Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Remember that word from Rango that I shared a while back? Well, today’s vocabulary entry features the other uncommon word from the name of his theater group! We’ve already learned from the context of this scene that a “thespian” is an actor, though its name also implies that said group of actors has another talent. It seems in a show put on by a group called “Madam Lupone’s Terpsichorean Troupe of Traveling Thespians”, the Inbred Rodents could have expected to see some dancing too!

Anything described as “terpsichorean” relates to dancing, while a “terpsichorean” is a dancer. The word arose in the early 19th century and derives from the name of the Greek and Roman goddess Terpsichore, the Muse of lyric poetry and dance. The name Terpsichore is originally Greek and literally means “delighting in dancing”.

Same as with the word “thespian”, “terpsichorean” takes its name from a figure in Greek lore, though in this case she was a goddess and a Muse as opposed to a poet. Notably, the name Terpsichore was used in the 18th century to denote a female dancer, and since the 19th century has evolved into a word referring to all dancers or the art of dance in general. Also similarly to “thespian”, “terpsichorean” is classified by Oxford Dictionaries as a “formal or humorous” word, possibly making it a good choice for satirical writing. If your characters often engage in the art of dancing, “terpsichorean” is an excellent word to keep on your list!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

You come down here to console me. That is charming of you. You find me consoled, and you are furious. How like a sympathetic person! You remind me of a story Harry told me about a certain philanthropist who spent twenty years of his life in trying to get some grievance redressed, or some unjust law altered – I forget exactly what it was. Finally he succeeded, and nothing could exceed his disappointment. He had absolutely nothing to do, almost died of ennui, and became a confirmed misanthrope.

– Dorian Gray, The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1891)

Eggman: Imagine the look on Sonic’s face when he sees I have Knuckles trapped.

Sonic: You don’t have to imagine, Egghead. [enters with Amy and Sticks] ‘Cause here I am!

Eggman: Well, that was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting a bigger reaction: maybe shock, outrage, perhaps even a little ennui!

– Sonic Boom (Season 1, Episode 35 – Two Good To Be True)

Yes, I’m aware I’ve been going through an E-word streak this month, and no, I never thought I’d find a connection between a gothic novel and a cartoon based on a video game franchise. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward confronts Dorian about his indifference over the death of his fiancé, to which Dorian calls him out on his “selfishness” using Lord Henry’s philosophy on the underlying hypocrisies of sympathy that have driven others to boredom and depression. Meanwhile, in Sonic Boom, Dr. Eggman is disappointed to find that capturing one of Sonic’s best friends didn’t have quite the effect he was hoping for, including Sonic’s despair over failing to keep all his friends safe. Ironically, while pointing out the lack of dissatisfaction in their listeners, both Dorian Gray and Dr. Eggman seem to be exhibiting “ennui” themselves!

“Ennui” is a feeling of dissatisfaction and listlessness that comes from a lack of excitement or occupation. The word arose in the mid 18th century and is originally French, having derived from the Latin phrase mihi in odio, meaning “it is hateful to me”. This word shares its origins with the English verb “annoy”, which also stems from the Latin phrase in odio “hated”.

The meaning of “ennui” seems to differ slightly depending on context. Sometimes the word appears to be synonymous with boredom, though in truth it primarily refers to a state of depression brought on by a sense of boredom (such as in Dorian Gray’s story of the philanthropist turned misanthrope by melancholy tedium) or uselessness (such as in Dr. Eggman’s plan to upset Sonic by making him feel incompetent as a hero). From my understanding, “ennui” works well as a middle ground between boredom and depression, though I suppose it fits anywhere on that spectrum. If your characters ever find themselves feeling bored or useless to the point of becoming listless or discontented, “ennui” may be the perfect word to define their state of mind!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Oh yes, it’s time for some more current events in my Word of the Week segment! The United Kingdom made waves around the world last week with the news that the majority of its population voted “Leave” in the EU referendum that took place on June 23. If you’ve been following the news before and after this event, you may recall seeing a certain portmanteau floating around the headlines. Of course, having such a huge impact on the UK and the entire world, it’s kind of hard not to hear any talk about the “Brexit” right now!

“Brexit” (originally “Brixit”) is a term for the (once hypothetical but now very real) departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The word was coined in 2012 as a blend of the words “British” (or “Britain”) and “exit”. This term probably followed the same pattern as the term “Grexit” (“Greek”/”Greece” + “exit”), which was coined earlier in the same year.

Before the referendum, you may have only started hearing about “Brexit” if you’re into financial news, as the vote to “Leave” would have an especially significant impact on both the UK’s and the global economy. Since it just happened a few days ago (and I’m really terrible about keeping up with political news), there isn’t much else I can contribute to this topic myself, so for your information and entertainment, I refer you instead to John Oliver’s “Brexit” video. On a final note, if you happen to write fiction about up-to-the-minute current events, then I’m sure you can find a good place for the “Brexit” in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

He had a special passion, also, for ecclesiastical vestments, as indeed he had for everything connected with the service of the Church.

– The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1891)

So I’ve been reading Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, and I have to admit that the novel has me utterly fascinated. Considering it was written at the end of the 19th century, it obviously contains a handful of words uncommon to modern vocabulary that I could pick out for this segment, so I randomly chose one of the words that had me reaching for the dictionary (read: built-in dictionary widget) the moment I read it. The above excerpt, taken from the chapter detailing the various fleeting pleasures in which Dorian indulges himself throughout his life, mentions his passion for clothing and other items related to the Church. Being one to readily succumb to temptation and sin, one can only imagine where Mr. Gray’s “ecclesiastical” obsession came from!

Anything “ecclesiastical” is related to the Church and/or its clergy. The word is the adjective form of the noun “ecclesiastic” (“a priest or member of the clergy”), which arose in late Middle English and traces back through the French adjective ecclésiastique and the Latin adjective ecclesiasticus to the Greek noun ekklēsia, meaning “assembly” or “church”. This noun stems from the adjective ékklētos, which means “summoned”.

While “ecclesiastical” is apparently limited to contexts referencing the Church and its clergy, I admit I like the sound of the word enough to consider writing a scene in a religious setting just for the excuse to use it. It may be worth noting that the noun form “ecclesiastic” can also function as an adjective with the same meaning as “ecclesiastical”, though this usage is considerably less common in modern English. If your stories tend to include religious characters or settings, you could make great use of some “ecclesiastical” details!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Homer: [while throat singing with the medicine woman] How long are we doing this?

Medicine Woman: Until you have an epiphany.

Homer: Okay. [they continue throat singing; he pauses and taps her on the shoulder] What’s an epiphany?

Medicine Woman: Sudden realization of great truth.

Homer: …Okay.

– The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Barney: Guys, I was sitting at home last night, and all of a sudden, I had a piphany! And my piphany was this–

Ted: Actually, it’s e-piphany.

Barney: No, Ted, this is the piphany.

– How I Met Your Mother (Season 7, Episode 21 – Now We’re Even)

I know, I don’t usually use two examples in one vocabulary post, but I had such a hard time choosing between these two that I just decided to go with both! In the former scene from The Simpsons Movie, an Inuit medicine woman is teaching Homer throat singing to help him come to the revelation that will save his family and his town. Meanwhile, in the latter scene from How I Met Your Mother, Barney tells his friends about his own revelation without knowing how to properly pronounce the word for it. Whether it’s “In order to save myself, I have to save Springfield!” or “Make every night legendary!”, Homer and Barney have something in common: they each claim to have had an “epiphany”!

An “epiphany” is a moment of sudden insight or revelation. The word arose in Middle English and comes from the Greek noun epipháneia, meaning “manifestation”. This noun stems from the verb epiphaínō “I appear”, which comprises the preposition epí “upon” and the verb phaínō “I bring to light”.

While its meaning as a revelation seems to be the most common use of the word, the primary definition of “epiphany” actually refers to “the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12)”. In Christianity, the Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day, is a festival celebrating the revelation of God in human form as His Son, Jesus Christ. According to the American English edition of Oxford Dictionaries, the word can also be used in the general sense of “a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being”. If your stories call for your characters experiencing “Eureka!” moments or sightings of divine beings, you may soon find yourself writing about an “epiphany”!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjfHnCjy3Pc

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s another word that’s quite common but that’s tripped me up in the past. Funnily enough, I had both heard it spoken often and read it a few times before, yet I didn’t realize at first that it was the same word because I expected it to have a different pronunciation based on its spelling. It didn’t help that I’d heard other people incorrectly pronounce it “E-pi-tohm”, but when you think about, that just seems to make this word an “epitome” of the challenges of learning English!

An “epitome” of a given quality or type is a perfect example of it. In literature, “epitome” refers to an abstract or summary of a written work. The word arose in the early 16th century and traces back to the Greek noun epitomḗ ,meaning “abridgment”. This noun stems from the verb epitémnō “to abridge”, which in turn consists of the prefix epi “upon” and the verb témnō “to cut”.

Much like the word “hyperbole“, I find “epitome” interesting for the apparent discrepancy between its spelling and pronunciation, though this should hardly be surprising given that both these words come from Greek. Similar to its meaning as an abstract of a written work, this word also has an archaic sub-definition: “a thing representing something else in miniature”. If you ever find yourself needing to perfectly exemplify an idea in your stories, an “epitome” would be an excellent device to deploy!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Why are there so many poetic ways to say “short-lived”? Are artists simply fascinated by the things in life that don’t last? I know I am, which is why I find today’s Word of the Week so intriguing. Maybe it’s the way it sounds, maybe it’s the images of fading flowers and vanishing bubbles it calls to my mind, or maybe it’s just because it reminds me of a certain gothic rock band I used to listen to all the time as a teenager. Whatever the reason, whenever I write need a word for something fleeting, “evanescent” may be one of my favorite words to consider!

Anything that is “evanescent” quickly fades or disappears, passing out of sight, memory, or existence. The word arose in the early 18th century in the sense “almost imperceptible” and comes from the Latin verb evanescere, meaning “to disappear”. This verb stems from two roots: the preposition ex “out of” and the adjective vanus “empty”.

“Evanescent” is another good example of a word with an adjective, a verb, and a noun form; the verb “evanesce” means to “pass out of sight, memory, or existence”, while the noun “evanescence” refers to the event of disappearing or the quality of being fleeting. According to Oxford Dictionaries, “evanescent” also has a specific definition in physics: “denoting a field or wave that extends into a region where it cannot propagate and whose amplitude therefore decreases with distance”. Similar to “ephemeral“, “evanescent” seems to be a chiefly literary term, so if you ever need to poetically describe the short-lived things or ideas in your stories, this is an excellent word to keep on your list!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Amy: I’m Amy Rose, and I’ll be auditioning for the part of “Sidekick”.

Sonic: Amy, I know who you are.

Amy: Great, because I am fine with nepotism.

– Sonic Boom (Season 1, Episode 1 – The Sidekick)

Here’s another word I picked up from the Sonic Boom cartoon. After firing Tails as his sidekick (in an attempt to protect him from harm), Sonic holds interviews for potential replacements, the first of which to show up is another of his closest friends, Amy Rose. When Sonic reminds her that she doesn’t need to introduce herself to him, she hopefully infers that he’ll simply give her the job because of their friendship. It seems you can find “nepotism” even among heroes!

“Nepotism” is the practice of showing favor to friends or relatives, particularly by powerful or influential people. The word arose in the mid 17th century and traces back through the French noun népotisme to the Italian noun nepotismo. This noun stems from the noun nipote “nephew”, which in turn derives from the Latin noun nepos, meaning “descendant”.

If you’re wondering why “nepotism” originates from a word meaning “nephew”, there’s an interesting history behind it. From the Middle Ages to the late 17th century, it was common practice for popes to appoint their nephews to positions of preference and elevate them to the cardinalate, usually as a way to continue a papal dynasty. From this, it can be concluded that the word “nepotism” originally referred exclusively to favor for relatives and only later became applicable to friends as well. In modern times, it’s become a practice mainly associated with political power, though it can also be commonly seen in organizations. If you write powerful characters who like to favor their friends and family with job opportunities and the like, there’s definitely some “nepotism” going on in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Is it ironic to learn a word with four different meanings without seeing it used in any of them? Well, that’s how I came across today’s Word of the Week, another one picked up from the Elevate – Brain Training app. It sounds like a word I could have gotten familiar with sooner if I read more poetry, but as it happens, I’ve only ever seen it in the Spelling game. Still, with four definitions, I’d definitely take on this word as a writing challenge: to find as many ways as possible to “adumbrate” something in my stories!

To “adumbrate” something is to either represent or report it in outline, indicate it faintly, foreshadow or symbolize it, or overshadow it. The word arose in the late 16th century and comes from the Latin verb adumbrare, meaning “to shade”. This verb stems from the verb umbrare “to cast a shadow”, which in turn derives from the noun umbra “shadow”.

Though I only just learned the word “adumbrate”, I admit I already find it intriguing, not just for its multiple definitions but for how they’re all connected by the root word “shadow”: creating or perceiving a shadow of a larger picture, foreshadowing future events, or overshadowing one idea with another. While Oxford Dictionaries emphasize representation in outline as its primary definition (especially in American English), it should work equally well in any of the others. The real challenge is finding a way to work all four meanings into one written work! So if you ever find yourself needing to summarize, evidence, signify, or obscure anything in your stories, “adumbrate” is an excellent word to add to your list! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Okay, perhaps I went with a more common word for this week’s vocabulary post. To be honest, I find this one particularly interesting because I’ve seen and heard various forms of it: as nouns, as a verb, and even as an adjective. It seems to be a popular choice for referring to combinations and mixtures. Why “unite” two things into one when you can “amalgamate” them instead?

To “amalgamate” two or more things is to combine them into a single structure or organization. The word arose in the early 17th century and comes from the Latin verb amalgamare “to mix”, which in turn stems from the noun amalgama, meaning “mercury alloy”. This noun derives from the Greek noun málagma, which means “emollient”.

A less common definition for the word “amalgamate” is in chemistry, where it’s usually used in the adjective form “amalgamated” to indicate a metal that has been alloyed with mercury. Note that the verb “amalgamate” stems from the noun “amalgam”, which means “a mixture or blend” or “an alloy of mercury with another metal”. I myself tend to use it most often in its noun form “amalgamation”, the action of combining or uniting. If you often join things in your stories and feel that common words like “merge” and “unite” are overused, “amalgamate” and its related forms are good words to keep on your vocabulary list!

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