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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

vicarious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • (US) audio
  • /vaɪˈkɛəɹi.əs/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /vɪˈkɛəɹi.əs/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /vəˈkɛɹi.əs/ Mary–marry–merry merger
  • /vaɪˈkɛɹi.əs/ Mary–marry–merry merger

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyk-der. Latin vicis Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -ārius Latin vicāriusbor. Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos? Old Latin -ōssus Latin -ōsus Old French -usbor. Middle English -ous English -ous English vicarious From Latin vicārius (“vicarious, substituted”) + English -ous. First attested in the 17th century. Doublet of vicar.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) Delegated.
  2. (not-comparable) Experienced or gained by taking in another person’s experience rather than through first-hand experience, such as through watching or reading.
    • People experience vicarious pleasures through watching television.
    • The pleasures which I made haste to seek in my disguise were, as I have said, undignified; I would scarce use a harder term. But in the hands of Edward Hyde, they soon began to turn toward the monstrous. When I would come back from these excursions, I was often plunged into a kind of wonder at my vicarious depravity. 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter 10, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
    • These are people getting some sort of vicarious thrill from the street violence people like Tommy Robinson promote. Those that are attacking Jess Philips, who I'm proud to call colleague and a friend, are not protecting victims. 2025 January 6, Keir Starmer, 33:21 from the start, in Prime Minister's remarks on the NHS, South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre, Epsom:
  3. (not-comparable) On behalf of others.
    • As time went on, the cruel custom was so far mitigated that a ram was accepted as a vicarious sacrifice in room of the royal victim. 1900, James Frazer, chapter 26, in The Golden Bough:
    • In these, however, he had not much time to indulge, for a footman, still decked in the trappings of vicarious grief, opened the door with the most startling promptitude, and he was ushered upstairs into a small but richly furnished room. 1920, H. Rider Haggard, chapter III, in The Blue Curtains:
    • The concept of vicarious atonement, that one person can atone for the sins of another, is found in many religions.

Deriveds

vicarious reinforcement · vicarious learning · nonvicarious · omnivicarious · vicarious traumatization · vicarious embarrassment · vicarious plants · unvicarious · vicariously · vicarious punishment · vicarious atonement · vicarious experience · vicarity · vicariousness · vicarious grief · vicarious liability

Relateds

vicar

Translations (42)

fr par procuration (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · es vicario (on behalf of others) · sk delegovaný (on behalf of others) · hu másodlagos (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · nl plaatsvervangend (on behalf of others) · sk zástupný (on behalf of others) · de anstelle von (delegated) · nl indirect (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · hu másodkézből való (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · es vicarial (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · ru делегированный (delegated) · sk sprostredkovaný (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · ja 身代わりの (on behalf of others) · de übertragen (delegated) · de substituiert (on behalf of others) · fr par procuration (on behalf of others) · cs zástupný (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · de stellvertretend (on behalf of others) · de Ersatz- (on behalf of others) · fr par procuration (delegated) · de indirekt (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · hu más helyett végzett/elviselt/tapasztalt (on behalf of others) · de begleitend (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · bg делегиран (delegated) · es vicariante (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · es vicariante (on behalf of others) · de projiziert (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · fr indirect (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · de stellvertretend (delegated) · es vicario (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · nl overgedragen (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · hu közvetett (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · pt vicário (on behalf of others) · de übertragen (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · fi toisen puolesta tehty (on behalf of others) · ka სხვის ნაცვლად შესრულებული (on behalf of others) · es vicarial (on behalf of others) · de nachempfunden (delegated) · de in Vertretung (delegated) · ru замещающий (experienced or gained by the loss or to the consequence of another) · bg заместващ (on behalf of others) · sk sprostredkovaný (on behalf of others)