vicarious

/vaɪˈkɛriəs/

/vaɪˈkɛriəs/

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."

Definitions of vicarious

1. adjective

   experienced at secondhand
   “read about mountain climbing and felt vicarious excitement”

   synonyms:

   secondary

   being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate
2. adjective

   suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another
   “vicarious atonement”

   synonyms:

   exchangeable

   suitable to be exchanged
3. adjective

   occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function
   synonyms:

   abnormal, unnatural

   not normal; not typical or usual or regular or conforming to a norm