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vicarious Definition

vi·cari·ous (vī ker′ē əs, vi-)

adjective

    1. taking the place of another thing or person; substitute; deputy
    2. held or handled by one person as the deputy of another; delegated vicarious powers
    1. endured, suffered, or performed by one person in place of another vicarious punishment
    2. shared in or experienced by imagined participation in another's experience a vicarious thrill
  3. Physiol. designating or of a function abnormally performed by other than the usual organ or part vicarious menstruation

Etymology: L vicarius, substituted: see vicar

vicarious Related Forms
vi·car′i·ously adverb vi·car′i·ous·ness noun
vicarious Synonyms

vicarious

modif.

  1. Substitute

    substitutional, acting, delegated; see common 5, pretended.

  2. indirect, second-hand.

vicarious Law Definition

adj

Suffered, performed, or experienced by one person as a substitute for another; indirect; in surrogate.
vicarious Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • atonement: We can, for example, make little or nothing of the doctrine of vicarious atonement.
  • liability: There is no question of vicarious liability for the GP for the actions of any midwife.
  • thrill: No doors kicked in by dawn's early light, no vicarious thrill of the punishment beating asserting the beef of Old England.
  • suffering: However, we find no clear additional evidence that Luke wanted to integrate vicarious suffering or a redemptive death into his own christology.
  • sacrifice: Thus, atonement for Paul is not merely the forgiveness of sins through a vicarious blood sacrifice.
  • pleasure: A lot of people have said there's a kind of vicarious pleasure in reading our book or whatever.