Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s an interesting example of a word I first learned in its secondary definition before its primary meaning. When I started the data analysis for my thesis, I learned how to construct phylogenetic trees in a software program called PAUP*, which includes a step that searches for the best trees for a given dataset based on trial and error. Some time later, I noticed a featured iPad app in the iOS App Store designed to help readers learn Shakespeare for themselves. What do these two things have in common? They both have “heuristic” approaches!

Something described as “heuristic” allows someone to learn or discover a given subject for themselves. As a computing term, a “heuristic” procedure toward a solution is carried out by trial and error or loosely defined rules. The word arose in the early 19th century and derives from an irregular form of the Greek verb heurískō, meaning “I find”.

While not a particularly well-known word, “heuristic” could possibly be used as a poetic alternative for “hands-on”. Note that it can also function as a noun to refer to “a heuristic process or method”. I assume the word would most commonly refer to teaching approaches that allow students to learn on their own (as is the case of the “Heuristic Shakespeare” project), though people familiar with computing terms might also recognize it as a reference to trial-and-error programs (such as the “heuristic search” option in PAUP*). If you write about characters who prefer to learn things for themselves or even about computer programs that run on loosely defined rules, “heuristic” is a good word to add to your vocabulary list!

Bonus: in case you’re wondering what this Heuristic Shakespeare project is all about, here’s a short preview of it from Heuristic Media. Yes, Sir Ian McKellen is behind it! Enjoy!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Frasier: [on TV] Maris Crane and Niles Crane will soon be executed.

Martin: That’s four times in one newscast. Must be some kind of record.

Frasier: They know I meant “exonerated”.

– Frasier (Season 11, Episode 8 – Murder Most Maris)

Here’s a funny example of a word I actually learned through a mix-up that changed the entire meaning of the sentence, in this case from an episode of the popular sitcom Frasier. After Niles’s ex-wife Maris accidentally kills her lover, Niles and his family find themselves in the middle of a media storm that turns their lives upside down. In an attempt to clear his brother’s name, Frasier offers to give a statement on the news claiming that Maris and Niles should soon be freed from all accusations. Unfortunately, he only makes things worse when he gets his words muddled up and accidentally uses “execute” in place of “exonerate”!

To “exonerate” someone is to free them from blame for a crime or other wrongdoing, especially as an official act by a body of authority. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin verb exonerare, meaning “to free from a burden”. This verb comprises two roots: the preposition ex “from” and the noun onus “burden”.

The main definition of “exonerate” refers to an official release from guilt, though it can also be used more informally in the sense “to release someone from a duty or obligation”. If you ever need to free your characters from blame or some other burden, “exonerate” is a good word to keep on your list. Just be careful not to get your words mixed up, or your characters could be in for some serious injustice!

[enter Niles and Daphne, looking unamused]

Frasier: Oh, Daphne, Niles. Listen, I’m so sorry about today’s little gaffe. You know what I meant.

Daphne: Oh, don’t worry. Anyone can make a little slip. We know you were only trying to ruin our lives- I mean, help.

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

As long as we’re on the subject of politics, let’s continue on current events and shift focus for a moment from the USA to Brazil. At the time of writing this entry, Brazil is in the middle of one of the biggest political events of its history: while millions of Brazilians are taking to the streets in protest (both anti- and pro-government), their Congress is voting on whether or not to continue the process of removal of the country’s president, Dilma Rousseff (the latest chapter in a long story that you can learn more about here). In a nutshell, her removal from office is being debated because she’s currently involved in Brazil’s most serious corruption scandal to date. With such a bad reputation and a less-than-10% approval rating by the population, it’s no wonder so many Brazilians are calling for her “impeachment”!

The “impeachment” of something as a general term refers to the questioning of its validity or integrity, while the “impeachment” of a public official is a charge of misconduct against them, usually followed by the removal of said official from office. This word is the noun form of the verb “impeach” (“call into question the integrity or validity of a practice”), which arose in Late Middle English in the sense “hinder” or “prevent”. This verb derives from the Old French verb empecher “to impede”, which in turn stems from the Latin verb impedicare, meaning “to catch” or “to entangle”.

In modern history, “impeachment” seems to have become synonymous simply with the removal of a public official from office, though it’s important to note that the more thorough definition refers to a trial against said official for unlawful activity. In British English, the word can also refer to “a charge of treason or another crime against the state”. If you write stories with politicians who commit serious crimes against the population, then like the Brazilian people, your characters may want to call for “impeachment”!

Bonus: for those of you who prefer your news funny and concise, Brazil’s political situation has also been covered by John Oliver in this hilarious three-minute segment on Last Week Tonight. Enjoy!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

First off, I have to thank Robert Kirkendall for recently reminding me of this word. I usually try to avoid getting political on my blog, but much like the case of the word “gerrymander“, current events have proven too fascinating to leave out of my Word of the Week segment. Anyone following the American presidential race may at one point or another have heard today’s vocabulary word being used in reference to a certain candidate who’s been dominating the polls. Dangerous as this is, of course, I suppose it makes sense; appealing to a majority of voters who want all their desires fulfilled and prejudices validated is a sure way for a “demagogue” to get elected!

A “demagogue” is a politician whose popularity comes from appealing to potential supporters’ prejudices and wishes as opposed to using rational arguments. The word arose in the mid 17th century and comes from the Greek noun dēmagōgós, meaning “popular leader”. This noun comprises two roots: the noun dêmos “people” and the adjective agōgós “leading”.

The word “demagogue” has a long history behind it; in Ancient Greece and Rome, it referred to “a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people”. It was originally a neutral word to define a leader of the common people, but has since morphed into a pejorative term for politicians considered to be harmful, manipulative, and/or overly prejudiced. If you write political fiction with characters who will say or do anything to gain supporters, you definitely have at least one “demagogue” lurking in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

No, it’s not a sassy way of saying “broke” (American English) or an alternative spelling for the current American president’s name (British English). Anyone who has studied art history should be familiar with the Baroque period of the 17th and 18th centuries, a European style characterized by extremely ornate detail. Even if you’ve never been much of an art enthusiast, such works as the Chateau de Versailles, the compositions of Bach and Vivaldi, and the paintings of Caravaggio and Rubens should give you an idea of what to expect when you hear something described as “baroque”!

The “baroque” style of architecture, music, and art is highly extravagant and ornate. The word arose in English in the mid 18th century and is originally a French adjective used to describe a pearl of irregular shape. This adjective may stem from the Portuguese adjective barroco, the Spanish adjective barrueco, or the Italian adjective barocco, but its ultimate origin is unknown.

Though the primary meaning of “baroque” refers to an art movement, the word has since acquired a modern sub-definition to describe anything characterized by lavish detail. Note that it can also function as a noun, though in this case it refers specifically to the Baroque style or period of art. If you often find inspiration in heavily adorned works of art, you can certainly have fun adding some “baroque” details to your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Rango: [disguised as a woman] Good sir! Gracious good afternoon to thee and thee and thee! May I present, Madam Lupone’s Terpsichorean Troupe of Traveling Thespians!

Balthazar: What is that?

Ezekiel: I think they’s thespians!

Balthazar: Thespians? That’s illegal in seven states!

– Rango (2011)

Okay, I admit I may have laughed a little too hard at this line when I first watched Rango a few years ago, but that may just be because I wasn’t expecting such a subtle adult joke to be slipped into what’s supposed to be a children’s movie. But then again, I should hardly have been surprised, since by then the film had already pushed the PG rating to the limit several times over. In this scene, Rango and his posse attempt to ambush the Inbred Rodents (yes, really) by posing as a theater troupe and putting on a show for them. The blind patriarch wonders aloud what’s going on, only to hilariously misunderstand his son’s answer. Sounds like he was expecting something entirely different from a group of “thespians”!

Anything described as “thespian” relates to the theatrical arts, while a “thespian” is an actor or actress. The word arose in the late 17th century and derives from the Greek name Thespis. This was the name of a Greek dramatic poet from the 6th century BC who is considered the founder of Greek tragedy.

According to Ancient Greek sources, including Aristotle, Thespis was the original actor, the first person to ever play a character on stage. It makes sense, therefore, that a word meaning “actor” would derive from his name. It may be worth noting that Oxford Dictionaries classify the word “thespian” as “formal humorous”, which may limit its use to more comedic contexts, though I suppose that call is left to the writer’s discretion. If your stories are full of actors and actresses, “thespian” would certainly make a great addition to your vocabulary!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Amy: [while judging her friends’ sandcastle contest] It’s so hard to choose a winner.

Sonic: It probably doesn’t matter, Amy.

Amy: Because the beach is the hourglass of nature, and time will wipe clean what we and our hubris have built as everlasting?

Sonic: No, because of the ginormous storm that’s about to hit.

– Sonic Boom (Season 1, Episode 50 – Cabin Fever)

That’s right, I somehow pulled another vocabulary word out of a Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon! I’m sure there are a dozen other context examples of “hubris” that I could have used instead, but I chose this one for being the funniest. Plus I’m a dork. Anyway…

In the above scene, Amy is judging her friends’ sandcastle contest when Sonic notes that there’s no point in choosing a winner now. Amy then attempts a poetic comment on nature’s power to diminish people’s self-importance, which falls flat when Sonic simply attributes the contest’s futility to the storm clouds that literally just appeared out of nowhere. Though if you think about it, isn’t Sonic basically confirming Amy’s critique of “hubris” in a more immediate and comical light?

A person’s “hubris” is their extreme pride or confidence in themselves. The word dates back as far as Ancient Greek, when it was used in the sense “insolence” or “outrage”. In its ancient context, this noun typically referred to excessive and violent behavior as opposed to an attitude.

Another ancient use of the word “hubris” is as a Greek tragedy term meaning “excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis”. In Ancient Greece, it referred to actions that were deliberately humiliating and shameful to the victim (to a degree too gruesome to be explained in this family-friendly post). Today, the word “hubris” simply denotes overconfidence, and in many contexts tends to border on narcissism. If you write characters who are exaggeratedly proud or full of themselves, you may find yourself having to accommodate some “hubris” in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s another word I learned from the Elevate – Brain Training app. Though it really only came up in the Pronunciation game, I found the word “obstreperous” interesting enough to look up. As soon as I learned what it meant, I thought it would make a great addition to a writer’s vocabulary. Loud and uncontrollable people often make for interesting characters!

An “obstreperous” person is someone who is uncontrollable and noisy. The word arose in the late 16th century in the sense “clamorous” and comes from the Latin verb obstrepere, meaning “to make a loud noise”. This verb comprises the preposition ob “against” and the verb strepere “to make a noise”.

While I wouldn’t use such an uncommon word too often for fear of sounding pretentious, “obstreperous” would be an interesting description to use occasionally for characters who tend to cause trouble. The only few instances in which I’ve seen it used in context were references to people, but I assume the word can apply equally to animals or even machines. If you’re often inspired by indomitable people who like to make a lot of noise, you should have no problem writing for “obstreperous” characters!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

…and as for Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards…

– Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen, 1813)

Oh yes, I’m learning so many new words from Pride and Prejudice! Similar to last week’s entry, today’s Word of the Week comes from a description of one of the story’s supporting characters, this time Mr. Hurst. While dining with Bingley and company during her stay at Netherfield, Elizabeth finds herself seated next to Mr. Bingley’s brother-in-law, a gentleman so dull and lazy that his interests are limited to dining and playing cards. At one point in the story, when everyone else in the room is too preoccupied with books and conversation to play cards with him, he uses the time to take a nap on the sofa instead! Small wonder such an “indolent” character never made it into the films!

An “indolent” person is someone who likes to avoid activity, that is, who is inherently lazy. The word arose in the mid 17th century and comes from the Latin noun indolentia, meaning “freedom from pain”. This noun is composed of the particle in “not” and the verb dolere “to suffer pain”.

The word “indolent” is primarily used to describe people, but it also serves a function in medical terminology as a definition for a disease condition that causes little or no pain. More specifically, it can also refer to a persistent ulcer that is “slow to develop, progress, or heal”. It shouldn’t be confused with the adjective “insolent”, which means “showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect”, though I suppose in certain cases a person can appear to be both. If you can find inspiration in people who are lazy to the point of actively avoiding activity or exertion, you may have room for some “indolent” characters in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to every body.

– Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen, 1813)

Today’s vocabulary word is actually overdue to appear in my Word of the Week segment. It was first brought to my attention by Mike from M.C. Tuggle, Writer, but I was only reminded of it recently after I started reading Pride and Prejudice. The above excerpt, part of a description of the Bennets’ good friend Sir William Lucas, is a good example of an unfamiliar word being at least partially clarified in context. Despite being a successful businessman, Sir William does not appear to consider himself above his company and holds a reputation as a friendly and attentive gentleman. This makes sense, of course: the Bennets would hardly agree to maintaining a friendship with a “supercilious” neighbor!

A “supercilious” person is someone who acts like they consider themselves superior to the people around them. The word arose in the early 16th century and comes from the Latin adjective superciliosus, meaning “haughty” or “disdainful”. This adjective derives from the noun supercilium, which means “eyebrow”.

Hearing the word “supercilious” for the first time, some might jump to the image of someone acting “super silly” (or maybe that was just me). Ironically, it means almost the opposite, since an overly arrogant person can only mean “serious business”. Though the use of this word may have declined significantly since the 19th century, I would still use it occasionally as a poetic alternative to common words like “arrogant” and “conceited”. If you write haughty characters who often look down on others, “supercilious” may be the perfect adjective to add to your stories!

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