by Naomi L. | February 10, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: histrionic
Pronunciation: his-tree-AH-nik
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
“Histrionic” is one of those words that every artist should know, in my opinion. It’s especially relevant to those in the performing arts, as it can accurately define the level of work in which they’re involved. After all, it’s important for actors and writers alike to understand as much as possible about the spectrum of “drama”, right?
Actions described as “histrionic” are dramatic to an exaggerated degree. The word comes from the late Latin adjective histrionicus, which means something along the lines of “pertaining to acting”. This adjective stems from the noun histrio, meaning “actor” or “performer”.
This word is best known as the noun “histrionics”, which refers to theatrical behavior intended to draw attention. Notably, alternative definitions make references to acting and theatrics: as an adjective, it can be used as a formal word for describing things concerning acting, or in psychiatry as a type of personality disorder involving exaggerated emotions and attention-seeking behavior. It was also once used as a noun to mean “actor”, though that definition has since become archaic. Personally, I prefer to use it as the noun “histrionics”; there can be a lot of fun in writing about the absurdly dramatic behavior of fictional characters!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | February 3, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: facetious
Pronunciation: fə-SEE-shəs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
“Facetious” is another word I’ve heard plenty of times, but that for some reason I almost never bothered to research. In truth, no matter how many times I’d hear it, I could never figure out what it meant, either because the context wasn’t clear or I just wasn’t paying enough attention (the latter being more likely). So finally, I broke my lazy streak and decided to look it up, and to my surprise, I found a definition that I probably never would have come up with on my own. That should teach me to ignore a chance at learning something new, right?
A “facetious” person or act is one noted for treating serious issues as a joke, inappropriately and on purpose. Originally used with the general definition “amusing”, this word arose in the late 16th century from the French adjective facétieux, which comes from the Latin noun facetia (“jest” or “joke”). The noun, in turn, stems from the adjective facetus, meaning “witty” or “clever”.
Note that other dictionaries provide slightly different definitions for “facetious”. It could refer to behavior that is playfully humorous, or it could define speech that is meant to be funny but that just comes off as annoying. Personally, though, I prefer the first definition I learned, so I would probably use this word for characters who know exactly what they’re doing when they poke fun at serious topics. I’d definitely like to try writing about mischievous characters and their “facetious” antics!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | January 27, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: quotidian
Pronunciation: kwoh-TI-dee-ən
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition:
- of or occurring every day; daily
- ordinary or everyday
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
This is one of those words I like because they sound “fancy”. After all, what’s the fun of always considering common occurrences “everyday” when I can sometimes think of them as “quotidian”? It’s a pretty cool word to have in my vocabulary arsenal. I do have to wonder, though: is it ironic that the use of the word itself is uncommon in speech?
“Quotidian” refers to what happens on a daily basis, or to what is commonplace in a mundane way. The word stems from the Latin adjective quotidianus, meaning “everyday” or “ordinary”. Originally written cotidianus, the root of this adjective is the adverb cotidie “daily”.
In my opinion, “quotidian” sounds like a word that a character with a higher education would use. It’s easier to imagine a professor speaking of “quotidian” events while his students define the same occurrences as “everyday”. Still, it probably also fits well in narrative text, so it really depends on how you want to work it into your stories. Enjoy writing about the “quotidian” events in your plots!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | January 20, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: ostentatious
Pronunciation: ahs-tən-TAY-shəs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Today’s vocabulary entry is a complementary post to last week’s. Remember how “opulent” indicates a lavish display of riches? Well, that’s a perfect example of “ostentatious” behavior, as it aims to impress more than anything else.
“Ostentatious” defines anything that is intended to draw attention in a very showy manner. Also known in its noun form “ostentation”, the word comes from the Latin noun ostentatio (“exhibition”), which in turn stems from the verb ostentare (“to show”). These can be traced back to the verb ostendere, meaning “to make clear” or “to point out”.
When describing a diversity of characters, “ostentatious” is a good word to consider for those who are the biggest show-offs. Note that so far, I’ve only ever seen this word being used to indicate actions involving concrete objects, so similar words like “pretentious” or “pedantic” are probably better options to convey abstract ideas. In any case, if your characters like to throw money around and constantly show off their possessions, their displays are “ostentatious” indeed!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | January 13, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: opulent
Pronunciation: AH-pyə-lənt
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish
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?
by Naomi L. | January 6, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: benediction
Pronunciation: be-ni-DIK-shən
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the utterance or bestowing of a blessing
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?
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