vicarious

/vai'keəriəs/

Friendly

Word: Vicarious

Part of Speech: Adjective

Basic Definition: The word "vicarious" describes a feeling or experience that is felt through someone else's actions or experiences. It means that you are experiencing something indirectly, often by imagining what someone else is going through.

Usage Instructions:

You can use "vicarious" when talking about feelings or experiences that you get from watching or hearing about someone else, rather than doing it yourself.

Example:

• "She felt a vicarious thrill watching her friend bungee jump off the cliff." (Here, she feels excitement from her friend's experience, even though she is not bungee jumping herself.)

Advanced Usage:

1. Vicarious Atonement: This term is used in religious contexts to describe when someone's suffering or sacrifice is seen as a substitute for another person's sins or wrongdoings.
2. Vicarious Menstruation: This is a medical term referring to a situation where someone experiences menstrual symptoms without actually having a period, often due to emotional or psychological connections.

Word Variants:

• Vicariously (adverb): "He lived vicariously through his brother's adventures."
• Vicariousness (noun): "The vicariousness of her experiences made her feel more alive."

Different Meanings:

In general use, "vicarious" often relates to emotional experiences. However, in specific contexts, it can refer to experiences in medical or psychological terms, such as the examples given above.

Synonyms:

• Indirect
• Secondhand
• Substitute

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While "vicarious" does not have specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly associated with it, you might hear phrases like: - "Live vicariously through someone" (meaning to experience life through another person's experiences).

Summary:

"Vicarious" is a useful word to describe feelings or experiences that come from observing others rather than experiencing things directly.

Academic

Adjective

1. suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another
   • vicarious atonement
2. occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function
   • vicarious menstruation
3. experienced at secondhand
   • read about mountain climbing and felt vicarious excitement