vicarious

American  

[vahy-kair-ee-uhs, vi-] / vaɪˈkɛər i əs, vɪ- /

adjective

1. performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another.

   vicarious punishment.

2. taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute.

3. felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of others.

   a vicarious thrill.

4. Physiology. noting or pertaining to a situation in which one organ performs part of the functions normally performed by another.

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vicarious British  

/ vɪˈkɛərɪəs, vaɪ- /

adjective

1. obtained or undergone at second hand through sympathetic participation in another's experiences

2. suffered, undergone, or done as the substitute for another

   vicarious punishment

3. delegated

   vicarious authority

4. taking the place of another

5. pathol (of menstrual bleeding) occurring at an abnormal site See endometriosis

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vicariousness
  noun
• nonvicarious
  adjective
• vicariously
  adverb
• unvicariousness
  noun
• vicariism
  noun
• unvicarious
  adjective
• nonvicariousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vicarious

First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin vicārius “substituting,” equivalent to vic(is) (genitive) “interchange, alternation” ( see vice ³) + -ārius -ary; see -ous

Explanation

If something is vicarious, it delivers a feeling or experience from someone else. If your child becomes a big star, you might have a vicarious experience of celebrity. Vicarious comes from the Latin word vicarius, which means "substitute." If you have vicarious enjoyment, you have a second-hand thrill. You might get vicarious thrills of adventure by reading your friend's letters from overseas. If you're mad at your cat but you take it out on your dog, that's vicarious punishment. Vicarious can also be used as a medical term meaning "occurring in an unexpected part of the body."

Example Sentences

Nevertheless, its 2001 sequel, Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro, was ultimately developed by Vicarious Visions, a separate Activision-owned studio.

From The Verge • Aug. 31, 2018

A sector that started as a two-person partnership with Vicarious Visions has grown into a cluster of companies in the Albany Region that employs 450 people, Mr. Bala said.

From New York Times • Aug. 2, 2018

Beyond visual recognition, the Vicarious breakthrough and AlphaGo Zero success are encouraging scientists to think about how AIs can learn to do things from scratch.

From Washington Post • Nov. 1, 2017

The event will feature costume contests and a shadow casting of the film from The Vicarious Theatre Company.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2016

While rejecting the doctrine of the "Vicarious sacrifice" they maintained that Christ was a mediator and intercessor, and that his supernatural nature was testified by miracles.

From Brief History of English and American Literature by Beers, Henry A. (Henry Augustin)