Vicissitude
Word of the Day
What is Vicissitude?
noun
A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.
Pronunciation
Why This Word?
Chosen to reflect life’s unpredictability, where triumph and trial often trade places.
Examples of Use
Here's how this word appears in everyday language:
They faced the vicissitudes of war and loss together.
The vicissitudes of fashion make trends short-lived.
She wrote about the vicissitudes of family life in her memoir.
Word Origins
Latin vicissitudo “change, alternation”
Related to vicis (“turn, change”); originally neutral, now often negative.
First appearance in English: 16th century
Word Family
Related forms of this word:
-
Noun:
Change is the only constant amid life’s vicissitudes.
-
Noun:
The fluctuation of the stock market mirrored life’s vicissitudes.
-
Noun:
The sudden shift in fortune was a painful vicissitude.
Around the World
How this word appears in other languages:
- Spanish: vicisitud
- French: vicissitude
- German: Wechselhaftigkeit
- Italian: vicissitudine
- Portuguese: vicissitude
If you Already Know This Word
If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:
Variance
“Variance” is statistical or neutral; “vicissitude” is literary and emotional.
Volatility
“Volatility” stresses instability; “vicissitude” stresses inevitability of change.
Mutability
“Mutability” is philosophical; “vicissitude” is experiential.
Fun Facts
- The plural “vicissitudes” is far more common than the singular in English.
- The word is frequent in translations of Latin texts about fate and destiny.
Cultural Usage
- Empires rise and fall with the vicissitudes of time.
- Victorian novels often portray the vicissitudes of class and fortune.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes confused with “variance” or “volatility”; “vicissitude” emphasizes life’s cycles.
Micro Story
He endured the vicissitudes of exile with quiet dignity.