VICARIOUS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vicarious mean? 

• VICARIOUS (adjective)
  The adjective VICARIOUS has 3 senses:

1. experienced at secondhand

2. occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function

3. suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another

  Familiarity information: VICARIOUS used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VICARIOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Experienced at secondhand

Context example:

read about mountain climbing and felt vicarious excitement

Similar:

secondary (being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function

Context example:

vicarious menstruation

Similar:

abnormal; unnatural (not normal; not typical or usual or regular or conforming to a norm)

Domain category:

medical specialty; medicine (the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another

Context example:

vicarious atonement

Similar:

exchangeable (suitable to be exchanged)

 Context examples 

When I would come back from these excursions, I was often plunged into a kind of wonder at my vicarious depravity.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It is true, it was a vicarious experience, else he would not have lived to profit by it.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)