Word of the Week: Zealous

by Naomi L. | February 2, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“Zealous” is another one of those words that I would see or hear often but always forget what it meant. I’m sure it’s come up a few times in my vocabulary test prep material, though to really memorize it, I suppose I’d have to make a habit of incorporating it in my own writing. It wouldn’t be too hard either; I have written quite a few characters who were passionate about a particular cause.

A “zealous” person is someone who demonstrates great enthusiasm for a chosen goal. Derived from the noun “zeal”, the word traces back through the Latin noun zelus to the Ancient Greek noun zêlos, both of which mean “zeal” or “jealousy”. The latter noun comes from the verb zēlóō, meaning “to emulate” or “to be jealous”.

With such similar spellings, I’m sure I must have confused the word “zealous” with the word “jealous” at least once before. Interestingly enough, despite having different meanings, they have the same etymological origin, so that may serve as a reminder for writers seeking words to describe passion in their characters. If you tend to write characters who show great emotion for a given objective, then “zealous” is a good word to keep on your shortlist. Write with passion, and your readers will see how “zealous” you are about your craft!

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

Word of the Week: Assignation

by Naomi L. | January 26, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Bet you’re not familiar with this word (at least in its first sense). Since it fits the theme of today’s post, though, I’ll let you in on a secret: I almost used “assignation” in a story once. I say “almost” because it was cut during the editing process when I realized it didn’t quite flow with the rest of my text. Similar to another word I’ve featured here before, the sound of the word “assignation” seems to contradict its definition, as in this case I was using it to indicate a secret encounter between lovers.

An “assignation” is an appointment between two people to meet in secret, said people typically being lovers. It can also refer to a distribution or attribution of something. The word arose in late Middle English and originally meant “command” or “allotment of revenue”. It can be traced back through Old French to the Latin verb assignare (“assign” or “distribute”), which consists of the preposition ad “to” and the verb signare “to sign”.

It definitely makes sense that “assignation” would be the act of assigning certain things to someone or something. However, I confess that I find the former definition much more interesting. It’s always helpful to know as many words as possible that could work in romantic stories (or business ventures, in the case of the latter definition), though I may never be able to find a good place for it in my own writing. If you think “assignation” defines exactly what’s going on among your characters, then perhaps you’ll have better luck than me on that front! Good luck!

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

Word of the Week: Eponymous

by Naomi L. | January 19, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s a word that every writer should know, and most prolific ones probably do. I come across the word “eponymous” almost exclusively when reading Wikipedia articles, as I often read about stories titled after a person’s name. Interestingly, whether its definition is active or passive depends on if it’s used to describe a person or a thing, so be sure to pay close attention to that detail!

An “eponymous” person is someone whose name has been given to something. An “eponymous” thing, in contrast, is something named after a specific person. This word is the adjective form of “eponym”, meaning “a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named”. This noun comes from the Greek adjective epōnumos “given as a name”, which is comprised of the preposition epi “upon” and the noun onuma “name”.

“Eponymous” is what I consider to be one of those “specialist” words: limited to a particular use, but highly useful when the need for it arises. Therefore, as I said, it’s a word that’s especially important for writers; if not to use directly, then at least to understand. If you make a habit of naming the things in your stories after people, then “eponymous” is definitely the word for you! Have fun getting creative with your names!

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

Word of the Week: Sartorial

by Naomi L. | January 12, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Barney: Suits are full of joy. They’re the sartorial equivalent of a baby’s smile.

Ted: “Sartorial”?

Barney: “Of or pertaining to tailors or their trade.”

– How I Met Your Mother (Season 2, Episode 14 – Monday Night Football)

Here’s another word I’ve heard exclusively on How I Met Your Mother. Every fan of this series is well familiar with Barney Stinson’s love of suits. His popular catchphrase “Suit up!” pretty much says it all. It makes perfect sense, therefore, that a character like Barney would know exactly what the word “sartorial” means while the rest of his friends remained clueless.

“Sartorial” refers to anything related to clothing and/or tailoring. The word arose in the early 19th century and comes from the Latin noun sartor (“tailor” or “patcher”). This noun is derived from the verb sarcire, meaning “to patch” or “to restore”.

Despite having learned this word fairly recently, I can already imagine a few contexts in which it could work well, such as when a character demonstrates “sartorial” elegance. Writers who are particularly fond of elaborating on details of clothing may find it especially useful. If you often draw attention to your characters’ clothes to help define their personalities, I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding a good place for this word somewhere in your writing. And if you don’t, I strongly encourage you to experiment with the “sartorial” details of your stories, as they can reveal much about a person’s character! Have fun!

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

Word of the Week: Inception

by Naomi L. | January 5, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

BRAAAM!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You know you were thinking it too. After all, Mike Zarin’s iconic sound from the Inception trailers has been an Internet meme for years. But today’s post is not about the 2010 blockbuster film; it’s about the title word and what it represents. This one’s been sitting in my vocabulary list for a while, and since it’s the start of a new year, I figured now would be the best time to write about it.

The “inception” of an activity or institution is its beginning or point of origin. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin noun inceptio, meaning “beginning” or “undertaking”. This noun in turn is derived from the verb incipere, which means “to begin”.

Though I’m sure I must have heard the word “inception” at least a few times before the famous trailers started popping up, I never really thought about what it meant until after I watched the movie. Obviously, it couldn’t literally be the implantation of an idea in a person’s mind through shared dreams; otherwise the word would only ever come up in science fiction. “Inception” is still an appropriate title for this story, however, as it centers on the concept of initiating the growth of an idea that can change a person’s entire life. You’ll likely never use it in such a specific context (especially since it’s clearly been done already), but “inception” is still a good word to remember for whenever your characters embark on a new enterprise. So on that note, let’s celebrate the “inception” of what will hopefully be a year full of promising new endeavors! Cheers, and Happy 2015!

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