Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s a fairly common word that most avid readers have come across before, but that’s still worth mentioning in this vocabulary segment. Something about the word “aesthetic” intrigues me. I’m not entirely sure what it is; maybe it’s the sound of it, maybe it’s the Greek spelling. But most likely, it’s the definition. After all, I do appreciate words that have to do with beauty.

“Aesthetic” refers to beauty or the appreciation of it. The word is derived from the Greek adjective aisthētikós, meaning “relating to perception by the senses”. This adjective stems from the noun aísthēsis “perception”, which comes from the verb aisthánomai “to perceive”. The current definition arose in German in the mid 18th century and was adopted into English in the early 19th century.

Unsurprisingly, “aesthetic” is usually attached to nouns related to visual perception, such as in “aesthetic appeal”. A slightly alternative definition for the word would be “giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty”, and it can be used as a noun to mean “a set of principles underlying the work of a particular artist or artistic movement”. As the plural noun “aesthetics”, it refers to “a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty”, though it can also refer to a branch of philosophy that deals with said principles. As you can see, there are many ways to use the word “aesthetic”, but when applied well, they can all help bring to light the beauty in the details of your stories!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s a fun word for you fantasy/paranormal fiction writers. This one was suggested by my best friend, though it was more of a reminder about a word I already knew that happened to be the first to come to mind when I asked him for a potential vocabulary entry. Given how much I enjoy stories with fantasy elements to them, this is definitely a word I’d keep on a shortlist for describing psychic characters.

A “clairvoyant” person is someone who has (or claims to have) extrasensory perception, that is, the ability to perceive beyond the natural scope of sensory contact. The word is originally French and consists of two root adjectives: clair “clear” and voyant “seeing”. This adjective arose in the late 17th century to mean “clear-sighted” or “perceptive”, while its current definition dates back to the mid 19th century.

Note that the word “clairvoyant” isn’t exclusively an adjective; it can also be used as a noun to indicate “a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact”. Whether or not you believe in such extrasensory perception, you have to admit that the idea of a person being able to foresee the future is intriguing. If you enjoy writing paranormal or fantasy stories, you can certainly get some good use out of this word, provided you’re up for the challenge. “Clairvoyant” characters can be a lot of fun to write! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Serendipity” is an intriguing word, isn’t it? Whenever I hear it, I think it could be the name of a celebrity or a word used to describe a situation of peace and calm. Interestingly enough, though, “serendipity” isn’t related to the word “serenity” yet does have a similar definition, as both words mean something positive.

“Serendipity” refers to the development of fortunate events that happen by chance. The word was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, who drew it from an English translation of the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip. Walpole evidently created the word to define the fortune of the story’s heroes, who, in his words, were “always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of”.

Life has a way of surprising us with a lucky streak at least once in a while. Hence, fictional characters are bound to have the occasional run of good fortune too. If you enjoy writing about lucky characters and favorable twists of fate, you can probably make plenty of references to “serendipity” in your stories! Good luck (pun totally intended)!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Richard: You guys see me as a dad?

Joey: Oh yeah!

Chandler: No!

Joey: (seeing the look on Chandler’s face) Nooooo.

Chandler: You’re just clearly not familiar with our young person’s vernacular. See, when we say “dad”, we mean “buddy”. We mean “pal”. […] No no, seriously! Joey’s my dad. Monica’s my dad. I’ve even got some dads down at work.

– Friends (Season 2, Episode 20 – The One Where Old Yeller Dies)

The first (if not the only) instance in which I can remember hearing the word “vernacular” was in an old episode of Friends. After Joey lets slip that Monica’s boyfriend Richard is like a father to him and Chandler, the latter tries to cover up the mistake by insisting it’s a slang word for “friend”. Naturally Richard doesn’t buy this lie, but that doesn’t make him telling the guys he’s leaving to have a romantic evening with their other “dad” any less funny.

The “vernacular” of a particular region is the dialect normally spoken by its people. With a modifier, “vernacular” refers to the terminology used by a specific group of people or those who engage in a particular activity. The word comes from the Latin adjective vernaculus, meaning “domestic” or “native”. This adjective has historical roots in the noun verna, which means “house slave”.

Interestingly, the word “vernacular” isn’t exclusive to language; it can also refer to architecture that is “concerned with domestic and functional rather than monumental building”. Note that in both these contexts, the word can function as either a noun or an adjective. An example of the latter would be “vernacular literature”, in which case the word means “spoken or written using one’s mother tongue”. Whether you choose to use it formally (as in the above definitions) or informally (as in the dialogue example), this can be a great word to include in your stories. At the very least, your readers may find it easiest to relate to your writing through your “vernacular”!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I can’t pinpoint an exact moment when I may have heard the word “lethargic” for the first time. It’s one of those words that I happen to come across from time to time, as much in test prep lists as in literature. After recently stumbling upon it yet again, I actually wondered how I had neglected to add it to my vocabulary segment sooner. It is, after all, a word that I could so often use to describe myself…

To feel “lethargic” is to lack energy and enthusiasm. The word can be traced back to the Greek adjective lēthargos, meaning “forgetful”. This adjective is comprised of two roots: the noun lḗthē “forgetfulness” and the adjective argós “not working”.

“Lethargic” is one of those words I would keep on a reference list for describing human nature. Everyone has those days when they feel slow and uninterested in anything, so it stands to reason that fictional characters would have those days too. If you choose to write characters who fit this type, you’re bound to draw readers who can relate. Just try to avoid feeling too “lethargic” yourself to write the stories! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Like other words I find interesting, “gratuitous” has two almost completely different meanings. I tend to see one definition more often than the other, though, probably due to the substantial amount of time I spend surfing through TV Tropes. You may be familiar with such “gratuitous” devices as foreign languages and violence, and if you encounter them all the time, you understand exactly what earned them this infamous label.

Things or actions deemed “gratuitous” are those which are provided freely and/or without good reason. The word comes from the Latin adjective gratuitus, meaning “given freely” or “spontaneous”. This adjective in turn stems from the noun gratia, which means “favor” or “thanks”.

For fiction writers, it’s practically mandatory to know what “gratuitous” means. We need to have a clear understanding of whether certain details in our work really are essential to the plot or if we simply threw them in for the sake of coloring the story (usually in an attempt to please the audience). In the latter case, it’s probably best to discard such unnecessary details. Set those “gratuitous” tropes aside and you’ll be able to tell a good clean story! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Today’s vocabulary post features one of those words that I need to look up almost every time I see them, because I just don’t come across them often enough to memorize their definitions. The last time I came across the word “irascible” was in this lovely tribute from the Walt Disney Company to the late Robin Williams. The sweetness of the statement (and my sadness over his passing) aside, the word “irascible” caught my eye for two reasons: first, I wasn’t sure I remembered exactly what it meant; and second, if it meant what I thought it did, I wasn’t sure it really applied to the Genie from Aladdin. It may be a while since I’ve watched the movie, but I don’t remember him being the irritable type…

An “irascible” person is someone who is easily irritated or angered. The word comes from the Latin adjective irascibilis, which contains the root verb irasci, meaning “to become angry”. These words stem from the noun ira, which means “anger” or “rage”.

In my opinion, “irascible” reads as a poetic synonym for “irritable”. I have yet to work it into my own writing, but I could definitely have used it in my past stories to describe some of my more short-tempered characters. If your characters have a tendency to snap at any given moment, you may want to consider using this word in your stories. If nothing else, describing them as “irascible” may be the most poetic way to define their bad tempers!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I can’t spend the rest of my life coming into this stinking apartment every ten minutes to pore over the excruciating minutia of every single daily event.

– Elaine Benes, Seinfeld (Season 8, Episode 3 – The Bizarro Jerry)

The first time I heard the word “minutiae” was in an episode of one of my favorite comedy TV series: Seinfeld. After discovering a complete-opposite version of Jerry, Elaine realizes she’s had enough of the original’s superficial way of life and proceeds to criticize their countless trivial conversations (which, hilariously enough, were exactly what made the show a pioneer in its style of comedy). Naturally, the fact that Jerry replies with yet another anecdote about “nothing” serves to prove her point and further add to the humor of the scene.

“Minutiae” (or “minutia”) are the minor and precise details of something. This plural noun comes from the Latin noun minutia, meaning “smallness”. This word, in turn, is derived from the adjective minutus, which means “small”.

One of the few times I recall using this word in a story was in a context similar to that of the above quote, in that it was intended to draw attention to the boring side of social convention. In this case, the character in the scene had just returned home from a party and was enjoying the peace of solitude after being liberated from the “minutia” of conversations in which she had absolutely no interest. I’m accustomed to seeing the word being used with a negative connotation, but I suppose it’s really a matter of preference. However you choose to work it into your writing, remember that the success of your stories may very well lie in the “minutiae” of the narrative! Good luck!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Prince Edward: You lying, murderous wretch! When we return home, Andalasia shall know of your treachery! Your days as queen will be over!

Queen Narissa: Take my crown? Don’t you think that’s a bit melodramatic, dear?

Prince Edward: I don’t know what “melodramatic” means, but you’ll be removed from the throne, Narissa! I will see to it.

– Enchanted (2007)

Although I had long been familiar with the word “melodramatic”, the above dialogue from the 2007 Disney film Enchanted is what inspired me to research it and, more recently, to include it in my vocabulary list. After discovering that his evil stepmother has poisoned his fiancé Giselle, Prince Edward promises to have her stripped of her title as Queen, a threat she nervously dismisses as unnecessarily dramatic. Of course, had Edward understood what she was saying, he certainly would have disagreed that his punishment would be unfair, given that she was attempting to murder his future princess.

Action regarded as “melodramatic” is exaggerated, sensationalized and overly emotional in nature. In other words, it’s dramatic for the sake of being dramatic. Derived from the noun “melodrama”, the word can be traced back to the French noun mélodrame, which in turn is comprised of the Greek noun melos “music” and the French noun drame “drama”.

In my opinion, “melodramatic” is especially useful for describing artistic characters such as actors and other performers. As for my experience with it, the last time I used the term “melodrama” in a story was satirically, to draw attention to a character’s impulsive and emotional behavior. I’ve always thought this word works best to make fun of overly dramatic actions, so you’ll probably get the most use out of it in this sense as well. Just take care not to make your stories unintentionally “melodramatic”!

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Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Oh! no mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.

– Dr. Frankenstein, Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818)

Remember how I once mentioned that Frankenstein was my seventh-grade Language Arts teacher’s favorite novel? And that she used the book to teach us plenty of vocabulary words? Well, here’s another of her favorite words that made it onto the blackboard as the Word of the Day. In the above example, Dr. Frankenstein uses it to define the horror he’s created, but don’t assume it always has to mean something bad.

A person’s “countenance” is their face or expression. The word comes from the Old French noun contenance (“bearing” or “behavior”), which in turn is ultimately derived from the Latin verb continere “contain”. The original definition of “countenance” was “bearing” or “demeanor”, but eventually became associated with facial expressions.

I have a confession to make regarding this word: I almost used it in a story once, but ended up cutting it because it seemed a bit too “purple” for its context. I realized during editing that “countenance” sounded overly poetic, and I felt it would stand out in a narrative that mostly consisted of much simpler text. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t make it work, of course; “countenance” can also mean “support”, or function as a verb to mean “admit as acceptable or possible”, so you may still be able to find a place for it even if you don’t plan to use it to indicate a character’s expression. As long as it fits the overall tone of your writing, you shouldn’t have a problem pulling it off. Have fun writing about the “countenances” of your characters!

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