vicissitude

American  

[vi-sis-i-tood, -tyood] / vɪˈsɪs ɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /

noun

1. a change or variation occurring in the course of something.

2. interchange or alternation, as of states or things.

3. vicissitudes, successive, alternating, or changing phases or conditions, as of life or fortune; ups and downs.

   They remained friends through the vicissitudes of 40 years.

4. regular change or succession of one state or thing to another.

5. change; mutation; mutability.

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vicissitude British  

/ vɪˈsɪsɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. variation or mutability in nature or life, esp successive alternation from one condition or thing to another

2. a variation in circumstance, fortune, character, etc

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Other Word Forms

• vicissitudinary
  adjective
• vicissitudinous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of vicissitude

First recorded in 1560–70; from Middle French, from Latin vicissitūdō, equivalent to viciss(im) “in turn” (perhaps by syncope, from unrecorded vice-cessim; vice “in the place of” + cessim “giving way,“ adverbial derivative of cēdere “to go, proceed”) + -i- -i- + -tūdō -tude; see also vice ³

Explanation

When you talk of the vicissitudes of life, you're referring to the difficult times that we all go through: sickness, job loss, and other unwelcome episodes. No one can escape the vicissitudes of life. While vicissitude comes from the Latin vicis, which means "change" and technically can mean a change of any kind, you'll find that vicissitude is almost always used to talk about an unfortunate event or circumstance. Losing a pet, crashing the car, being called in for jury duty: these are examples of vicissitudes — chapters in one's life that one would rather avoid but must get through. Some lives have more vicissitudes than others, to be sure, but no life is without events that test and challenge us.

Example Sentences

His tone is nothing if not complicit: “I was named Olaudah, which, in our language signifies vicissitude or fortune; also one favoured, and having a loud voice and well-spoken.”

From The Guardian • Aug. 7, 2017

I was named Olaudah, which, in our language, signifies vicissitude or fortune also, one favoured, and having a loud voice and well spoken.

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2015

It calls for poise, concentration, vitality and, above all, for a kind of instinctive communion with the camera that comes partly from inner fiber, partly from vicissitude and long practice.

From Time Magazine Archive

It seemed that he was an Englishman, a wandering artist, a man with a wide and cheerful acquaintance with vicissitude, who gave his name as Horner.

From Masterman and Son by Dawson, W. J. (William James)

But he had passed through too many periods of hardship and vicissitude to repine over these altered circumstances—he rather rejoiced to suffer for conscience' sake.

From Victor Hugo: His Life and Works by Smith, G. Barnett

Related Words

• fluctuation
• permutation