First cousin to the dictionary, a thesaurus classifies related words, giving synonyms (words with similar meanings) and antonyms (words with opposite meanings). Using a thesaurus allows you to choose the exact words you need for any given occasion or situation. This, in turn, increases your communication skills.
However, finding just the right word for a given situation is certainly not limited to people who write or edit for a living. Everyone can use a thesaurus. Unfortunately, the average person usually does not think of cracking one open, even though he or she might be floundering for that perfect word.
Thesaurus beginnings
The word "thesaurus" originally comes from 16th Century Latin, previously meaning "storehouse" or "treasury," until British physician, writer, and lexicographer Peter Mark Roget came along and gave us the relatively modern reference book. His thesaurus enjoys vast longevity, as it has been continuously published since 1852.
Why use a thesaurus?
Have you ever been stopped cold during a conversation or during writing, because you could not think of the right word for a situation or definition you had in your head? A thesaurus helps you find words that mean the same thing, but with minor differences in definition.
For instance, if you want more than just "hot" to describe the weather, you would use a thesaurus to find words like burning, scorching, blistering, or sizzling. Maybe you want to describe the state of your 35-year-old car. Instead of "old," you might find the synonyms aged, ancient, antique, or primordial.
Which sentence is more interesting?
• The old car went down the street.
• The ancient jalopy puttered down the country lane.
A thesaurus provides an invaluable surplus of words, allowing you to describe a particular idea or image in your writing or conversation. The similar, yet slightly different words you use will stimulate your reader's or listener's imagination, making your words more interesting, and getting your point across more succinctly.
Where to find a thesaurus
Most word processing programs include limited thesaurus entries, which will usually help with everyday words. However, if you need to look up an unusual word, but your word processing software does not recognize it, go get a real thesaurus (American Heritage, Random House, etc.) or find one online. Most of the traditional dictionary/thesaurus publishers have web sites, such as:
• Roget's
Using a physical thesaurus
Using a thesaurus is just like using a dictionary: As long as you know how to spell the word you want to look up, you'll have no problems. Instead of finding the exact meaning of your word, you are finding the synonyms or sometimes antonyms of your word.
When you flip to the page that contains your word (usually in bold text), you will see an abbreviation of its part of speech (n. for noun, v. for verb, adj. for adjective, etc.), then maybe an example sentence, then the various synonyms and antonyms, including labeled slang. If there is more than one part of speech, or more than one distinct meaning, these will be numbered.
For example, according to the Random House Thesaurus, College Edition (Copyright 1984), the word "pat" could be: 1. A verb meaning to pet, stroke, or caress. ("pat the bunny") 2. A noun meaning a light blow, tap, hit, or thump. ("a pat to the pillow") 3. A noun meaning little slab, square, or dab. ("a pat of butter") 4. An adjective meaning contrived, rehearsed, or slick ("the salesman's pat answers") 5. An adjective meaning perfect, ideal, or easy ("no pat solutions") Possible antonyms for #4: Spontaneous, sincere, or serious. Possible antonyms for #5: imperfect, difficult, or unsatisfactory.
Summary
Whether you're writing a doctoral dissertation, creating a piece of fiction, preparing a business speech, or just having a conversation with friends, clarity and effectiveness are necessary. The more you use a thesaurus, the closer you will come to this precision, and to commanding the subtle variations of written and spoken language.