Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I like the word “opulent”, not just because of the way it sounds, but because it’s another example of a word that fits into a spectrum. Although there are several synonyms for “rich”, they all have slightly different definitions, and therefore fit better in different contexts. And of all these synonyms, “opulent” is one that I find most interesting.

“Opulent” refers to a lifestyle of luxury and lavish spending. The word is also a root in Latin meaning “wealthy” or “splendid”. This adjective possibly stems from the noun ops, which in plural form means “wealth”.

On the “wealthy” spectrum, “opulent” suggests a more pretentious display of riches. Therefore, if you choose to describe your characters or their actions as such, you’re likely giving them a negative connotation. That being said, I still think it sounds lovely and it’s a good word to know. Just remember that people can be wealthy without being too showy about it. Be sure to understand the difference before you accidentally cast your characters in a bad light!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

The last Word of the Week post of 2013 ended the year with a word meaning farewell. So to open my 2014 vocabulary posts, I’ve decided to write about a similar word with a positive definition. Here’s to starting off the year with blessings in our hearts!

A “benediction” is the bestowing of a blessing, especially (though not exclusively) in a religious context. Similar to the origin of last week’s word, this one comes from the Latin verb benedicere, meaning “to wish well”. The roots of this word have both been mentioned in this segment before: the adverb bene “well” (as in “benevolent“) and the verb dicere “to say” (as in “valediction“).

Notably, “benediction” can also refer to the state of being blessed, or a formal invocation of blessedness. Because of its religious connotation, this word would probably fit best in a formal context, though I’m sure it could also be used as a simple reference to well-wishing. In the spirit of new beginnings, here’s a heartfelt “benediction” for you, dear readers! May 2014 be a blessed year for you all!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

This is an example of a word I learned by using a thesaurus, and I remember that I liked it as soon as I read it. I thought it had a nice ring to it, and I could certainly find a way to work it into my stories once in a while. Maybe the reason I like it is because I enjoy getting to think, “Oh, there’s a word for that!” I have fun learning words that sum up an act I would normally refer to using a whole phrase, for sometimes the fewer words we need to convey an idea, the better.

“Valediction” is the act of saying goodbye, or in more formal cases, an address of farewell. The word is comprised of two Latin roots: the verb vale “goodbye”, and the verb dicere “to say”. For an additional reference, the latter is also a root of the noun “benediction” (“the utterance of a blessing”), as the adverb bene means “well”.

I suppose I should have known about this word sooner, since I’ve long been familiar with the noun “valedictorian”. After all, it stands to reason that what they give at a graduation ceremony is a “valediction”, right? Still, I like to use this word in its more casual sense, referring to goodbyes exchanged between my characters. Of course, I think it works well in either context, so it’s really up to you to decide how you want to indicate the farewells in your stories. Now, in the spirit of the New Year, let’s all bid a hearty “valediction” to 2013!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Last Monday’s Word of the Week post was about a word used to define things that are present everywhere. Continuing on the same line, today’s vocabulary word also refers to what encompasses everything. The difference is that this time, the “everything” in question is knowledge.

An “omniscient” person is someone who knows everything. The word itself is Latin and means “all-knowing” (probably stemming from omnisciens). Originating in the early 17th century, the adjective is made up of two roots: the adjective omnis “all” and the verb scire “to know”.

There are a couple of reasons I like the word “omniscient”. For one, I’m fascinated with knowledge, so any being with an infinite supply of it is one I’d be interested to read about. At the same time, “omniscient” is a significant word in the non-fiction aspect of writing, as it refers to a type of narrative voice where the narrator is fully aware of every detail in the story, and thus can relate the perspective of any character. It can refer to an all-seeing character or just a writing technique, but either way, “omniscient” is an important word for any writer to know!

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

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Ubiquitous” is one of those words that I would hear and see fairly often, but that I never really bothered to look up. Maybe I was forgetful, maybe I was just plain lazy. After recently reading it again, though, I decided I might as well learn more about it. Interestingly, I actually regretted not looking it up sooner, because it seemed like a good word that could have been… “ubiquitous” in my stories all along.

Anything that’s “ubiquitous” is omnipresent, that is, it appears everywhere. The word comes from the modern Latin adjective ubiquitas, which in turn originates from the Latin adverb ubique, meaning “everywhere” or “anywhere”. The root of this word is the adverb/conjunction ubi “where”.

Honestly, even if I didn’t bother to look up this word, I’ve always liked the sound of it. It has kind of an exotic feel to it, and I wouldn’t mind including it in some of my descriptions to indicate feelings, objects or even people that are present everywhere. So if you enjoy learning new words, I’m sure you’ll be able to use this one well. Curiosity over new vocabulary is “ubiquitous” among writers, is it not?

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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!

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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!

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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?

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?

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?