Source: Oxford Dictionaries

No, not the movie studio nor the city in California. Today’s Word of the Week is a good one to use for the most important things in your stories. Sometimes when you need to convey a tone of great urgency in your writing, adjectives like “vital” and “crucial” simply aren’t enough. For those events that just can’t wait, “paramount” may be exactly the word you need!

Something described as “paramount” is of the utmost importance. The word arose in the mid 16th century and comes from the Anglo-Norman French adverb paramont, meaning “above”. This adverb comprises two Old French roots: the preposition par “by” and the adverb amont “above”.

While it’s commonly used as an adjective for extremely important things or events, “paramount” can also be used to describe people with supreme power, such as a “paramount” chief. Based on its definition, I assume this word sits at the very end of the importance spectrum and thus should only be used for the most critical of events. If your characters tend to face situations that must be dealt with right away, you may have room for some “paramount” points in your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Have you ever seen something you thought was so beautiful that it couldn’t possibly be of this world? There are many different kinds of beauty, yet my favorite by far is that which seems to have come from the heavens. There’s something so poetic about believing in a delicacy too perfect for the material Earth, so when I come across the word “ethereal” in a story, I can’t help but raise my romantic expectations!

“Ethereal” describes what is so light and delicate that it seems otherworldly. The word arose in the early 16th century and comes from the Latin adjective aetherius, meaning “heavenly” or “divine”. This adjective derives from the Greek adjective aithérios “of the upper air”, which in turn stems from the noun aithēr “ether”.

While its primary definition implies perfection, “ethereal” is often also used in the neutral sense of “spiritual”. For a more obscure meaning, it can be used in chemistry to refer to a solution containing diethyl ether as a solvent. Naturally, this is a popular word for defining a delicate and graceful allure, so if you like to create characters who fit this description, you’ll certainly be able to write some “ethereal” beauty into your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s another word I learned from studying vocabulary flashcards. We all know someone who tends to be a little grumpier than the rest, oftentimes an older person who has experienced more than their fair share of misfortune in life. Sometimes it’s a family member, sometimes it’s an acquaintance or a stranger, but whatever the case, we’ve all probably had to deal with at least one “curmudgeon” before!

A “curmudgeon” is someone who is unfriendly and/or bad-tempered, usually a person of old age. Interestingly, the origin of the word is unknown, though a few folk etymologies for it exist. All that’s known about the word is that it dates back to the late 16th century (originally spelled “curmudgen”) and has gone through various spellings throughout the 17th century, such as “cormogeon”, “cormudgeon”, and “curmudgin”.

While I don’t encounter the word “curmudgeon” very often, I have seen it used at least once to describe a person who was grumpy and bitter on the surface but lovable deep down. Therefore, I would recommend using “curmudgeon” for someone who may seem difficult at first but who isn’t necessarily a bad person once you get to know them. If you tend to write grumpy or surly characters, especially older ones, you may find the word “curmudgeon” useful for your stories! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s vocabulary word is one that tends to come up frequently in politics. I’ve heard it quite a few times in presidential debates, namely when the candidates are discussing the issue of war. Whether they’re calling each other out or referring to the nation as a whole, politicians like to go for the word “belligerent” when describing a person or country as being generally in favor of war. When a debate turns to foreign policy, you can usually expect this word to pop up at least once; after all, aggressive figures are a common sight in the political scene!

A “belligerent” person is someone who’s aggressive and hostile. “Belligerent” can also refer to a person or nation engaged in a conflict or war recognized by international law. The word arose in the late 16th century and comes from the Latin adjective belliger, meaning “waging war”. This adjective stems from the verb belligerare “to wage war”, which in turn comes from the noun bellum “war”.

I confess that the first time I read the word “belligerent”, I must have thought it had something to do with beauty, as it calls to mind the word “belle”. I never would have imagined that the Latin root of a word as ugly as “war” could sound so lovely. Interestingly, “belligerent” can also be used as a noun, as in “a nation or person engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by international law”. If you write aggressive characters who tend to favor war over peace, “belligerent” is a great word to keep on your shortlist!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Fred: [singing] Six intrepid friends led by Fred, their leader, Fred! Fred’s Angels! Mm-mm-mm. Fred’s Angels! Mm-mm-mm. Harnessing the power of the sun with the ancient amulet they found in the attic. Mm-mm-mm. The amulet is green. Mm-mm-mm. It’s probably an emerald. Mm–

Wasabi: Fred, I will laser-hand you in the face!

– Big Hero 6 (2014)

What’s an adventure story without a fearless hero? For writers who like to include lots of action in their stories, it’s always good to know at least a handful of adjectives to describe the brave characters willing to face it. One of my favorites, “intrepid” is a word I’ve come across several times in adventure fiction, the most recent example being in the 2014 Disney movie Big Hero 6, when Fred(zilla) improvises a theme song while he and his friends courageously embark on their first adventure as superheroes. Despite eliciting a hilarious reaction from an annoyed Wasabi, Fred is right to refer to their group as “intrepid”, for to face a mysterious microbot-controlling villain in a kabuki mask takes nothing short of guts!

An “intrepid” person is someone who’s adventurous and fearless. The word arose in the late 17th century and traces back through the French adjective intrépide to the Latin adjective intrepidus, meaning “fearless”. This adjective comprises the particle in “not” and the adjective trepidus “nervous”.

It’s worth noting that “intrepid” is often played to rhetorical or humorous effect (note the example above). True enough, I’ve probably heard it just as frequently in the serious sense of brave adventurers as in the humorous sense of wannabe heroes. Whether your characters really are courageous thrill seekers or simply want to prove they aren’t cowards, “intrepid” is a great word to describe anyone in your stories who’s always ready to jump into the action!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

This week’s vocabulary word is a good one to define some of the obstacles we face in life. Every now and then, you may find you need to move something large and heavy or face a situation that sets you back, and it’s expected that fictional characters must face the same trials. You could say that such obstacles are “cumbersome”: they may slow you down, but they don’t necessarily have to stop you from achieving success!

A “cumbersome” object is difficult to carry or use due to being too large and/or heavy. The word arose in late Middle English in the sense “difficult to get through” and stems from the verb “encumber”, meaning “restrict or burden (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult”. This verb comes from the Old French verb encombrer “to block up”, which comprises the prefix en “in” and the verb combrer “to hinder”.

As noted above, while “cumbersome” primarily refers to concrete objects, it can also be used to describe abstract concepts, as it has the sub-definition “slow or complicated and therefore inefficient”. Based on the contexts in which I’ve read it, I believe this word applies best to obstacles that hinder but don’t completely halt progress. If the conflicts in your stories often slow your characters down, “cumbersome” may be a good word to define the obstacles in their way! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s Word of the Week is a good one to know for unsatisfactory writing. Often when a writer goes overboard with the descriptions in their fiction, it detracts from the action of their story. In this case, an editor or reviewer could say the detail in the story is “superfluous”, as it has crossed a limit into being unnecessarily wordy. Writers beware: detailed descriptions are fine, but you never want them to be excessively elaborate!

To be “superfluous” is to be excessive and thus unnecessary. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin adjective superfluus, meaning “in excess”. This adjective comprises the preposition super “over” and the verb fluere “to flow”.

With its roots in the Latin words for “over” and “flow”, it’s no wonder the adjective “superfluous” easily brings to mind the image of water overflowing. While it doesn’t necessarily have to apply to liquid, this image does make it easier to memorize the word’s definition of excess. Whether you’re describing too many objects or too many ideas, “superfluous” is a good word to keep in mind for anything that’s more than necessary. Have fun writing about the “superfluous” things in your stories; just take care not to use “superfluous” detail in your narrative! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s Word of the Week was suggested by Kriswasp of I Love Me vol I. He requested I write about the word “cantankerous”, and I’ll be honest: I darn near smacked myself for not having thought to write about it sooner. What an interesting word! Heck, just saying it aloud is fun! “Cantankerous”! Of course, the definition of the word isn’t nearly as pleasant as the sound of it, but if you’re going to call someone “bad-tempered” or “uncooperative”, you may as well go for the most (as Kriswasp puts it) majestic way to say it!

A “cantankerous” person is ill-tempered and argumentative to the point of being difficult. The word arose in the mid 18th century and is of unknown origin, though according to Oxford Dictionaries, it is speculated that it comes from a blend of the Anglo-Irish noun cant “auction” and the English noun “rancor” (“bitterness or resentfulness”), which in turn traces back to the Latin adjective rancidus “stinking”. Another theory states that “cantankerous” may stem from an early amalgamation of two English adjectives: “contentious” (“causing or likely to cause an argument”) and “rancorous” (“characterized by bitterness or resentment”).

While I haven’t yet worked the word “cantankerous” into my own stories very often, I do remember hearing it for the first time years ago and loving how funny it sounded. Most people I’ve seen described as “cantankerous” are elderly and grumpy, but that’s not to say the word can’t be used to describe younger people who are just as uncooperative. If you write characters who tend to argue a lot and who are difficult to work with, “cantankerous” may be a perfect word to fit into your stories! Have fun!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s Word of the Week is highly applicable to my line of study. After formulating theories or attaining results, scientists have to know how to defend their findings in a manner that’s logical and convincing. The ability to form “cogent” arguments is an important skill for every academic, as it is for any writer hoping to successfully pitch a big story!

A “cogent” argument or case is logical and clear enough to be convincing. The word arose in the mid 17th century and comes from the Latin verb cogere, meaning “to compel”. This verb is composed of the preposition com “together” and the verb agere “to drive”.

Though I haven’t yet read it much in fiction, “cogent” is definitely a word I’d like to work more into my stories. With all the experience I have reading researchers’ discussions in scientific papers, I could have fun writing logical cases and arguments in my fiction. If you write plenty of debates and discussions among your characters, “cogent” may be a good word to describe their best arguments! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Yet another word pulled from the list of 100 most beautiful words in English, “harbinger” is a word I’ve read quite a few times in various forms of fiction. I tend to see it most commonly in fantasy fiction, where it often refers to a literal messenger warning of the approach of a powerful figure. Whether the arrival of said figure is good or bad news varies depending on the story, but either way, the presence of a harbinger is usually a sign of imminent serious business!

A “harbinger” is someone or something that signals or announces the approach of someone or something else. The word can be traced back through French from the noun herbergere to the verb herbergier, which means “to provide lodging for”. This verb stems from the noun herberge “lodging”, which comes from the Old Saxon noun heriberga, meaning “shelter for an army”.

As you can probably deduce from its etymology, there’s a history behind the word “harbinger”: it used to refer to a person who provided lodging and later to a person who ventured ahead to find lodgings for an approaching army. “Harbinger” is related to the word “harbor” in origin, and a sub-definition of the word is “a forerunner of something”. A “harbinger” doesn’t have to be concrete, but the ominous beings in fiction who seem to foretell the coming of such powerful figures as Death, Justice, and Doom have always been my favorite examples. If you like to warn your characters (and your audience) of major events about to unfold in your stories, you may have room for a “harbinger” or two in your fiction! Good luck!

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