by Naomi L. | February 23, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: behemoth
Pronunciation: bi-HEE-məth / BEE-ə-məth
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a huge or monstrous creature
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Continuing from last week’s post on the word “leviathan“, here’s a complementary word for another type of giant monster. If there’s a name for a titanic water-dwelling beast, it stands to reason that there should also be a name for a colossal land-based creature. Once again, mythology provides us with one such name: the great “Behemoth”.
A “behemoth” is basically a creature of monstrous proportion. The word comes from the Hebrew noun bĕhēmōṯ, the intensive plural form of bĕhēmāh, which means “beast”. It has a notable reference in the Bible as a massive creature God shows to Job to prove the point that His might is unmatched by anything mortal (Job 40:15-24).
While the official dictionary entry for “Behemoth” doesn’t specify its habitat as terrestrial, some legends identify it as the male earth-dwelling complement to the female sea monster “Leviathan”. In the same way the latter most likely represented a whale or crocodile, the former may have been equated to such creatures as an elephant, a hippopotamus, a rhinoceros, or even (according to certain theories) a dinosaur. Also similar to “leviathan”, in modern language, “behemoth” can be used as a metaphor for anything enormous and powerful, especially a company or organization. If you tend to write plenty of titanic entities into your stories, “behemoth” may be the word you’re looking for! Good luck!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | February 16, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: leviathan
Pronunciation: lə-VY-ə-thən
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a very large aquatic creature
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Here’s a less common word for all you fantasy and mythology enthusiasts, especially those fond of the ocean. Legends of the sea are hardly complete without a colossal sea monster to stir up some fear, so it stands to reason that such creatures deserve a name of their own. Fortunately, mythology has provided one such title: the mighty “Leviathan”.
A “leviathan” is basically an enormous water-dwelling creature. The term is especially notable in biblical use, where it refers to a giant sea monster generally equated to a whale or crocodile (e.g. Job 41, Psalms 74). This word is the English translation of the Hebrew noun liwyāṯān, which also means “whale”.
I absolutely love stories about the ocean, so I’m actually surprised I haven’t made more use of the word “leviathan” myself. A great sea monster would be an indispensable addition to a tale about the mythical beasts of the sea. Of course, the word’s uses aren’t limited to fantasy, as it can also refer to something very large and powerful (usually a ship). If you ever find yourself in need of a description for those aquatic titans in your stories, “leviathan” is the word for you! Good luck!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | February 9, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: amorous
Pronunciation: A-mər-əs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: showing, feeling, or relating to sexual desire
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Valentine’s Day is this Saturday, so here’s a more romantic word for this week’s vocabulary post. For those of us who enjoy writing romance, sometimes we need just the right word to convey the passion between our characters. And let’s just say that for spicier interactions, “amorous” is on my favorites list.
An “amorous” action is one relating to love or sexual desire. The word can be traced back through the Old French adjective amoros (“in love”) to the medieval Latin adjective amorosus. These in turn stem from the Latin noun amor, which means “love”.
The last time I used the word “amorous” in a story was to describe a kiss between a couple of teenage characters who were desperately in love. I needed an adjective that would accurately define their level of passion without being too explicit, as most of my readers were relatively young and innocent. For that particular purpose, I believe this word worked perfectly well to convey my characters’ love and desire for each other. If you too enjoy romance with plenty of passion, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble writing some “amorous” scenes into your stories! Good luck!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | February 2, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: zealous
Pronunciation: ZE-ləs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: having or showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
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?
by Naomi L. | January 26, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: assignation
Pronunciation: a-sig-NAY-shən
Part of Speech: noun
Definition:
- an appointment to meet someone in secret
- the allocation or attribution of someone or something as belonging to something
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?
by Naomi L. | January 19, 2015 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: eponymous
Pronunciation: ə-PAH-nə-məs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition:
- (of a person) giving their name to something
- (of a thing) named after a particular person
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?
Recent Comments