Word of the Week: Mercurial

by Naomi L. | October 23, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 4 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s another word I learned from the Elevate – Brain Training app. Like other words featured in past Word of the Week entries, I picked this one up from the Pronunciation game, though I found it so interesting after reading it that I knew I had to look it up. Interestingly, I realized I had just learned a new word that I could use to describe myself; I’ve gone through so many changes of mind and mood in my life that I could easily be considered “mercurial”!

A “mercurial” person is someone who’s prone to unpredictable or sudden changes of mind or mood. The word arose in late Middle English in the sense “of the planet Mercury” and comes from the Latin adjective mercurialis, meaning “relating to the god Mercury”. This adjective stems from the proper noun Mercurius, the Latin name of the Roman god Mercury. The current definition dates from the mid 17th century.

As its Latin root suggests, aside from its main definition, the word “mercurial” also relates to Mercury, both in the sense “of or containing the element mercury” and the sense “of the planet Mercury” (this latter case should be capitalized because it refers to a proper noun). The word can also function as a noun to mean “a drug or other compound containing mercury”. Note that as a synonym for “volatile” and “temperamental”, “mercurial” should be used in a negative sense. If your characters are constantly changing their minds (or if you write about any of the different “Mercuries”), “mercurial” could be a great word to include in your stories!

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

Word of the Week: Cabal

by Naomi L. | October 16, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Continuing from last week’s vocabulary post, here’s another new word I learned from playing Destiny 2. The story campaign of the game centers around an attack on humanity by a hostile alien army, led by a warlord whose goal is to steal the “Traveler’s Light”, a gift of enlightenment to the human race, and keep it for himself. Given the tightly knit organization of its army, the political motives that drive its leader’s actions, and the negative connotation of the word itself, I’d say “Cabal” was an appropriate choice of name for this alien race!

A “cabal” is a secret political faction or clique. The word arose in the late 16th century and traces back through the French noun cabale to the Latin noun cabala. This noun derives from the Hebrew noun kabala, meaning “something received” or “tradition”.

According to Wikipedia, a more complete definition of “cabal” is “a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views or interests in an ideology, state, or other community, often by intrigue, usually unbeknown to persons outside their group”. The word originates from the name Kabbalah (one of several different spellings of the word), which refers to the Jewish mystical interpretation of Hebrew scripture. Today, the word carries a heavy negative connotation of secretiveness and insidious influence, and is frequently associated with conspiracy theories. If your characters are part of a secret group with shady political goals, you might have fun writing about the “cabal” in your stories!

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

Word of the Week: Philomath

by Naomi L. | October 9, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Here’s an interesting word that I’ve recently picked up from two very different sources: the productivity app Habitica and the sci-fi action role-playing game Destiny 2. The Habitica blog mentioned today’s Word of the Week in a post featuring guilds dedicated to learning and studying, while Destiny 2 uses it in the name of one of its Warlock armor sets (Warlocks in this world being akin to scholars). Of course, regardless of whether I read it in a blog post or a video game, I know I can easily identify with this word; my whole life, I’ve always been a “philomath”!

A “philomath” is someone who loves to learn, especially such academic subjects as philosophy and mathematics. The word arose in the early 17th century and comes from the Greek noun philomathḗs, meaning “fond of learning”. This noun comprises two roots: the adjective phílos “loving” and the verb manthánō “to learn”.

The word “philomath” is considered a historical term and has an interesting background as a pseudonym: King James VI and I created the character Philomathes to represent one side of a philosophical dialogue in his dissertation Daemonologie, while Benjamin Franklin used Philomath os one of his many pen names. According to Oxford Dictionaries, this word was once used specifically as a term for an astrologer or prognosticator, but this definition has since become obsolete. Note that “philomath” should not be confused with “philosophy”, as the former refers to learning while the latter refers to wisdom. If your characters love to learn, you can have plenty of fun writing about a “philomath” or two in your stories!

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

Word of the Week: Anathema

by Naomi L. | October 2, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

George: Students can’t clean. It’s anathema. [Jerry looks confused] …They don’t like it.

Jerry: How long have you been waiting to squeeze that into a conversation?

– Seinfeld (Season 2, Episode 6 – The Statue)

Yep, it’s another word from Seinfeld! I’m sure we all know someone who will occasionally learn a new word and sit on it until they finally find the right moment to show it off in conversation (even if they don’t always get it right). In George’s case, that moment is during a conversation with Jerry about the grad student who’s coming to clean the apartment. Although Jerry’s response focuses on the unusual word itself, George may have a point; messy dorm rooms everywhere attest to the idea that cleaning is “anathema” to students!

“Anathema” refers to someone or something that one vehemently dislikes. The word arose in the early 16th century as an ecclesiastical Latin noun meaning “excommunication”. This noun stems from the Greek noun anáthema “accursed thing”, which in turn derives from the verb anatíthēmi “to set upon”.

Aside from its first definition, “anathema” can be used in a more specific context as a word for “a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine”. It can also function as a literary term meaning “a strong curse”. Interestingly, while the original Greek noun referred simply to an offering, the word was later influenced by the Hebrew noun herem “excommunication”, leading to the modern word’s negative connotation. If there are certain people or things your characters really don’t like, you may find a good use for “anathema” in your stories!

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

Word of the Week: Multifarious

by Naomi L. | September 25, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 2 comments

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Continuing from last week’s vocabulary entry, today’s Word of the Week is another word brought to my attention by Judith from I Choose How I Will Spend the Rest of My Life. Honestly, I found this one just as interesting as the first, if not more, which is hardly surprising given how many different topics I’ve covered on my blog and how many colorful descriptions I’ve used in my fiction. By all accounts, my interests are certainly “multifarious”!

“Multifarious” describes any group of things that are numerous and consist of various types. Similarly, “multifarious” can also describe a single thing with several varied aspects or parts. The word arose in the late 16th century and comes from the Latin adjective multifarius, meaning “manyfold”.

When including the word “multifarious” in your writing, note that its primary definition is mostly synonymous with “various” (as in “various things”) while its secondary meaning is more synonymous with “diversified” (as in “a diversified group”). In Law, it refers to “a lawsuit in which either party or various causes of action are improperly joined together in the same suit” (more commonly known as a “misjoinder”). To extend the word’s function, you can also use its derivative forms: the adverb “multifariously” and the noun “multifariousness”. If you tend to describe things that come in a wide variety, “multifarious” may be a good word for your stories!

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