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A thesaurus
is a reference work that lists the synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words. Synonyms are words with similar
meanings, and antonyms are words
with opposite meanings. The word 'thesaurus' comes from Greek, and it means
'treasure,' so we can think of a thesaurus as a treasury of words that can help
us better understand the meanings of those words and use them more effectively
and efficiently in our writing.
The most common use of a thesaurus is to avoid
word repetition, the potentially monotonous overuse of a term in writing or
speech. Similarly, it is used to identify replacements for words that seem too
common or dull, e.g., “see” might be replaced by “view.” The alternate
vocabulary suggested by a thesaurus can be used to create texts that are more
interesting because of the richer language that is used.
To illustrate how helpful this can be,
consider the following example of a monotonous sentence; note how the
vocabulary suggested by a thesaurus makes the subsequent revised version more
interesting:
|
Original sentence: A
thesaurus is used to find words that are interesting to use in place of
other words and is used to make texts that are more interesting. |
|
Revised with a thesaurus: A
thesaurus is used to identify vocabulary that is interesting to utilize in
place of other words and is employed to create texts that are more
engaging. |
If you want to substitute a new word for one
that you have used too much, simply look the word up in a thesaurus and find
alternatives.
If you are using an online thesaurus, type
your original word (or phrase) in the site’s search box. The results will
include a list of alternative words with similar meanings. You will also see
the word’s part(s) of speech and, in some cases, its definition and
pronunciation. If the word has more than one part of speech, synonyms will be
given for each of its functions. These synonyms are the alternatives that can
be substituted in place of your original word or phrase.
Be careful! Sometimes the synonyms do not
contain the same feeling or nuance as the original word. In order to make sure
you are not using a word with a different feeling, do a "cross check"
of the new word by checking its own definition to make sure it matches the
feeling you want.
Whether you keep a printed copy on your desk,
bookmark a website, or download an app to your smartphone, your writing will
improve with frequent use of a thesaurus. In addition, you will learn new
vocabulary in the process of looking up synonyms!
Thesaurus vs. dictionary
A thesaurus
is used to group different words with the same meaning (synonyms) and similar
words. On the other hand, a dictionary
is meant to explain the definition of a word.
Example:
looking up the word "computer"
|
Computer |
|
|
Dictionary |
Thesaurus |
|
pronunciation: /kəmˈpyo͞odər/ part of speech: noun definition: an electronic device for storing and processing data,
typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable
program. |
PC CPU calculator abacus laptop |
Sources: Retrieved at https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/t/thesauru.htm
Retrieved at https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-thesaurus-definition-use-history.html
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