Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ELYSIAN
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pronounce
ELYSIAN:
Say it "ih LIJ ee yun."
To hear it, click here.
That's the pronunciation I'm sticking with. Several are in use, and dictionaries disagree about which ones are correct.
If you're a poet, and you're planning to rhyme "elysian" with "vision," feel free to contract the pronunciation to "ih LIJ un." Lots of poets have!
connect this word to others:
As we check out the beautiful word elysian, see if you can recall another word from a place in Greek myth:
Something Ol_____n reminds you of the mountain where the Greek gods dwell: it's majestic or godlike in an impressive, larger-than-life way.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
In Greek myths, Elysium (or the Elysian Fields or Plains) is a mystical paradise where heroes and other blessed mortals go after they die, to live their afterlives in peace and happiness.
Here's how Pindar describes Elysium: "Ocean breezes blow around the island of the blessed, and flowers of gold are blazing."
And here's how Virgil describes it: "crystal streams," "shining fields," "blissful meadows."
And Homer: "Where life is easiest."
The adjective form, "Elysian," has been popular for hundreds of years. These days we've mostly stopped capitalizing it. When you want to point out how something is calm, peaceful, glorious, and heavenly, call it elysian.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "an elysian dream," "this elysian music."
Other forms:
Like I mentioned, the noun for the mythical place of perfect peace and happiness is Elysium. (Say it either "ih LIJ ee yum" or "ih LIZ ee yum." Hear it here.)
For the plural noun, you can just say "Elysiums," or if you prefer a fancy one, "Elysia" ("ih LIJ ee yuh"--hear it here).
Finally, you can "elysianize" things or places, meaning you talk about them in grand, lofty terms, as if you're turning them into paradises.
how to use it:
When even words like "divine" and "heavenly" don't do justice to your subject--or when you're not sure you're ready to pronounce the word "paradisiacal" in public--use "elysian." It's a formal, literary, semi-common word.
You might talk about elysian joy, beauty, dreams, or music.
Or an elysian peace, calm, or tranquility.
Or elysian moods, hours, days, summers, or memories.
Or an elysian place, realm, beach, shore, island, or field.
Rarely, "elysian" can take on a creepy tone. Here's Ward Moore: "Homes of eternal rest and elysian lawns offered choice lots—with a special discount on caskets—on the installment plan."
examples:
"I have thought almost exclusively of being ever near the one beloved object, living in the sunshine of his smile, and drinking in the music of his voice. Life seemed an elysian dream, from which care and sorrow must be for ever banished."
— Caroline Lee Hentz, Ernest Linwood, 1859
"So robots will make us their pets? I can’t wait... A life of elysian indulgence awaits, if Steve Wozniak's prediction comes true about intelligent machines benignly enslaving humans."
— Rupert Myers, The Guardian, 29 June 2015
has this page helped you understand "elysian"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "elysian" without saying "heavenly" or "tranquil."
try it out:
Talk about an elysian meal you've enjoyed, an elysian piece of music you've heard or played, or an elysian place you've visited (or would like to visit).
For you, what makes it so serene, so heavenly, and so delightful?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for this month is Obits Tidbits!
Check out a tidbit from the obituary of an extraordinary person, and see if you can name who it was. To see the answer, scroll all the way down.
From the New York Times: "A no-nonsense presence, efficient in his role and comforting in his orderliness... Forbes estimated [his] salary at $16.5 million... Nonetheless, [he] drove a pickup truck and spent his leisure time on do-it-yourself home repairs."
If you need some hints, highlight the hidden white text below.
This obituary was published on… November 8th, 2020
This person's initials are… A. T.
review this word:
A. DIURNAL (related to the daytime, or related to 24-hour periods of time) and QUOTIDIAN (having to do with regular, routine, everyday life).
B. CHTHONIC (reminding you of the mythic underworld: deep, dark, hidden, hellish, and/or monstrous) and BITUMINOUS (hellish, like a burning lake of hellfire).
C. MORBID and DAGUERREAN (creepy and old-fashioned in a way that reminds you of an old black-and-white portrait, the kind where faces are unsmiling and empty-eyed).
2.
In the video game Terraria, the appropriately named Elysian _____ can provide a player with _____.
A. Juke Boxes .. lively background songs
B. Wings .. protection and the power to fly and glide
C. Brains .. intelligence and the power to escape traps
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
As we check out the beautiful word elysian, see if you can recall another word from a place in Greek myth:
In Greek myths, Elysium (or the Elysian Fields or Plains) is a mystical paradise where heroes and other blessed mortals go after they die, to live their afterlives in peace and happiness.
Part of speech:
When even words like "divine" and "heavenly" don't do justice to your subject--or when you're not sure you're ready to pronounce the word "paradisiacal" in public--use "elysian." It's a formal, literary, semi-common word.
"I have thought almost exclusively of being ever near the one beloved object, living in the sunshine of his smile, and drinking in the music of his voice. Life seemed an elysian dream, from which care and sorrow must be for ever banished."
Explain the meaning of "elysian" without saying "heavenly" or "tranquil."
Talk about an elysian meal you've enjoyed, an elysian piece of music you've heard or played, or an elysian place you've visited (or would like to visit).
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |