Word of the Week: Iridescent

by Naomi L. | December 29, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

It’s no secret that I love colors. This was made especially obvious in my vocabulary post about the word “opalescent“. Colors are fun to write about, so it makes sense that I use several different color-themed adjectives in my stories and poems. And among my favorites, after its aforementioned synonym, is “iridescent”.

An “iridescent” object is one with various bright colors that appear to change depending on the angle from which they’re seen. The word was coined around the late 18th century, and comes from the Latin noun iris, which means “rainbow”.

I write about colors so often that I could probably come up with a hundred different examples of how I might use “iridescent” if I tried. A notable instance is in my story “The Silver Queen“, where I used it to describe the colorful scales of dragons. I think the reason I like this word so much is its connection to the image of rainbows, so if you like writing about anything bright and multicolored, “iridescent” is the word for you! Have fun!

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

Word of the Week: Effervescent

by Naomi L. | December 22, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

I just love words with a concrete and an abstract definition. This one is a good word to describe anything bubbly, whether it’s a liquid or a person’s attitude. I’m sure we all know someone who’s as “effervescent” as a fizzy drink!

An “effervescent” liquid is one in the process of giving off bubbles. Similarly, an “effervescent” person is someone who’s enthusiastic and lively, presumably in an attractive way. The word is derived from the Latin verb effervescere “to boil up”, which in turn comes from two roots: the preposition ex “out of” and the verb fervescere “to grow hot”.

Much like another word I’ve written about before, I’ve mostly seen “effervescent” in scientific contexts, though I prefer its abstract sense for describing human nature. Note that this word also comes in the verb form “effervesce” for both definitions, which makes it easier to broaden its uses. If you like to write about characters with bubbly personalities, or you have to describe the occasional fizzy liquid, you should have no trouble working “effervescent” into your writing! Have fun!

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

Word of the Week: Petulant

by Naomi L. | December 15, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

“I’m not going anywhere,” said Ursula Monkton, and she sounded petulant, like a very small child who wanted something.

– The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman, 2013)

Here’s another word I learned from a novel. I recently came across the word “petulant” while reading Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Though I couldn’t remember ever seeing this word before, its meaning was perfectly clear in context, as it was being used to describe an adult who was behaving like a child.

A “petulant” person or manner is bad-tempered or sulky in a childish way. The word, originally used in the late 16th century to mean “immodest”, can be traced back through the French adjective pétulant to the Latin adjective petulans, meaning “insolent” or “unruly”. This adjective is related to the verb petere, which means “to aim at” or “to seek”.

Though I’d most likely associate the word “petulant” with children, the above excerpt proves that it can work just as well (if not better) for adults who display childish behavior. If any of your characters tend to sulk when they don’t get their way, this would be a good word to remember the next time you need to describe them. As for me, I admit this word could sometimes be used to define my own attitude toward my writing: I’m such a perfectionist that sometimes I can’t help but act a little “petulant” when my work doesn’t come out with the quality I want. I hope you aren’t the same!

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

Word of the Week: Idyllic

by Naomi L. | December 8, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Who doesn’t appreciate words for extremely positive feelings? If I remember correctly, this one caught my eye while I was reading a novel, and I liked it as soon as I learned what it meant. It made sense to me that “idyllic” would stand out as such a lovely adjective; I always enjoy discovering poetic words to describe the beautiful things in life.

Anything considered “idyllic” is extremely peaceful, happy and/or beautiful in nature. This word is the adjective form of the noun “idyll”, a word for “an extremely happy, peaceful or picturesque scene” that’s typically idealized or unsustainable. This word can be traced back through the Latin noun idyllium to the Greek noun eidullion, which is the diminutive form of the noun eidos (“form” or “picture”).

Though I don’t see the word “idyllic” as often as I’d like, it’s definitely an adjective I’d try to work into my writing more often. I’d probably get the best use out of it in my poetry, since I especially love writing about nature, but it could work just as well in prose to describe an idealized scene. Every writer has likely envisioned a utopian setting at one time or another, so if you haven’t used this word yet, you’ll no doubt be able find a place for it in your writing too. Who knows? If you write well enough, your readers may find your work itself “idyllic”!

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

Word of the Week: Anhedonic

by Naomi L. | December 1, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Marshall: (during a sword fight with Ted) Ted! If you wanted to be married by now, you would be, but you’re not. And you know why? Because you’re irrationally picky, you’re easily distracted and you’re utterly anhedonic.

Ted: Anhedonic?

Marshall: Anhedonic. It means you can’t enjoy anything.

Ted: The hell I can’t. I’m enjoying this!

Marshall: I know, this rules!

– How I Met Your Mother (Season 1, Episode 8 – The Duel)

The only time I’ve ever heard the word “anhedonic” was in the above dialogue from an episode of How I Met Your Mother. While sword-fighting with Ted to decide who should keep their apartment (it makes sense in context, trust me), Marshall calls him out on his inability to take pleasure in activities normal people enjoy. Perhaps Ted’s counterargument is invalid, given that a sword duel in the middle of a New York apartment hardly counts as a “normal activity”, but that just makes the scene all the more fun to watch.

An “anhedonic” person is someone who is unable to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable activities. The word is the adjective form of the noun “anhedonia”, a term in Psychiatry for the inability to feel pleasure. This noun traces back to the French noun anhédonie, which consists of two Greek roots: the prefix an- “without” and the noun hēdonḗ “pleasure”.

“Anhedonic” may be a good word to describe people who are constantly unhappy, regardless of whether or not it’s an actual psychiatric condition. As for dialogue, because the word “anhedonia” is a Psychiatry term, it would most likely be used by characters of high intellectual achievement. If you write about miserable people or characters such as psychiatrists or doctors (or even lawyers, as is the case of Marshall Eriksen), you may be able to get plenty of use out of this word. Just try not to be “anhedonic” when it comes to your writing!

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