MOST OF THE WORDS WE USE EVERY DAY come from familiar sources: our family and friends; colleagues; whether they be coworkers or fellow students; and all the media we are exposed to or participate in. This is our working vocabulary, and it should be sufficient for our communication needs. Every field of endeavor has its own terminology, of course, a set of specialized terms developed as shorthand for specialized needs. Usually, however, this terminology is limited in both size and utility, and changes only slowly over time.
Some of us have become aware of a world made larger by an enriched vocabulary. We have been exposed, whether willingly or otherwise, to literature—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—created by people whose goal is to communicate with others and who have built an arsenal of words for that purpose. We may have been surprised by the beauty of our language, or impressed with its power of expression, and from this realization desire to enrich our own ability to communicate.
Beyond improved expression, there are other benefits to building a vocabulary: an increased vocabulary will improve reading comprehension, and because our linguistic vocabulary is equivalent to our thinking vocabulary, we improve our ability to comprehend and reason by increasing the range of words we use. In addition, because we may be judged on the basis of our vocabulary, by augmenting it we can improve our social status. And that brings us to the purpose and value of this book: making you smarter and helping you to sound smarter.
Roget’s Thesaurus of Words for Intellectuals offers an array of the finest words our language has to offer arranged by concept. Instead of providing all the words that share a meaning, this book concentrates on just those words representing a higher level of expression, that are more precise—or more obscure. By learning and using these words, you will distinguish yourself from your friends and colleagues, and sound like an intellectual.
The book is arranged alphabetically by concept. The concept words were chosen for their simplicity, lack of ambiguity, and breadth. These words encompass a broad spectrum: within each list you’ll find a wide range of terms as well as different parts of speech. The intent is to provide signposts on the path to discovery of words that may be unfamiliar or infrequently encountered.
This book is designed as a tool for the person who is searching for just the right word and wishes to sound smart. It is hoped that some of our language’s richness, complexity, and power will be revealed in the process.