Vicarious

Pronunciation: /vaɪˈkɛriəs/

Definitions of vicarious

adjective experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person

Example Sentences

A1 I live vicariously through my favorite characters in books.

A2 She experienced a vicarious thrill watching her daughter perform on stage.

B1 Many people enjoy vicarious experiences by watching reality TV shows.

B2 The author's vivid descriptions allowed readers to have a vicarious adventure in the story.

C1 He had a vicarious sense of accomplishment when his team won the championship.

C2 The documentary provided a vicarious look into the lives of the rich and famous.

Examples of vicarious in a Sentence

formal She experienced vicarious joy through her daughter's accomplishments.

informal I get a vicarious thrill from watching scary movies.

slang I'm living vicariously through my friend's Instagram posts of their vacation.

figurative Reading about the characters' adventures in the book gave me a sense of vicarious excitement.

Grammatical Forms of vicarious

• past tense: vicaried
• plural: vicariouses
• comparative: more vicarious
• superlative: most vicarious
• present tense: vicarious
• future tense: will be vicarious
• perfect tense: have been vicarious
• continuous tense: is being vicarious
• singular: vicarious
• positive degree: vicarious
• infinitive: to be vicarious
• gerund: vicariously
• participle: vicarious

Origin and Evolution of vicarious

First Known Use: 1637 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'vicarious' originated from the Latin word 'vicarius', meaning 'substitute' or 'deputy'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a religious context to refer to the substitution of one person for another in a religious rite or ceremony, the meaning of 'vicarious' has evolved to also include experiencing something through someone else or acting on behalf of someone else.