vicissitude

n.

1. 1. A change or variation.
   2. The quality of being changeable; mutability.
2. One of the sudden or unexpected changes or shifts often encountered in one's life, activities, or surroundings. Often used in the plural. See synonyms at difficulty.

[Latin vicissitūdō, from vicissim, in turn, probably from vicēs, pl. of *vix, change.]

(vi-SIS-i-tood, -tyood)

noun
1. A change or variation. The quality of being changeable; mutability.
2. Often vicissitudes. One of the sudden or unexpected changes or shifts often encountered in one's life, activities, or surroundings.

Etymology
Latin vicissitudo, from vicissim, in turn, probably from vices, pl. of *vix, change.

Usage
"In Jiang's speech, he noted, `People of my age have all experienced vicissitudes of the current century.'" — Weimin, Chang, Warm Talks Bring Two Nations Closer, China Daily, 21 Oct 1999.

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noun

Something that obstructs progress and requires great effort to overcome. asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor. Idioms: ahardtoughnut to crack, ahardtoughrow to hoe, heavy sledding. See easy/hard.

n

Definition: change
Antonyms: stability, stagnation

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IN BRIEF: Constant change as a natural process. Also: A surprising and complete change.

We can count on the vicissitude of the seasons throughout the year.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - omskiftelse

Nederlands (Dutch)
natuurlijke verandering, op- en neergaande omstandigheden, veranderlijkheid, opvolgende veranderingen, ontbering/ moeilijkheid, afwisseling

Français (French)
n. - vicissitude (sout)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Unbeständigkeit, Wechsel(fälle)

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μεταστροφή, καπρίτσιο της τύχης, αναποδιά

Italiano (Italian)
vicissitudine

Português (Portuguese)
n. - vicissitude (f), alteração (f)

Русский (Russian)
превратность, чередование

Español (Spanish)
n. - vicisitud, avatar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - växling

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
变化, 荣枯, 变迁

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 變化, 榮枯, 變遷

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 변화, 부침, 순환

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 移り変わり, 栄枯

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تقلب ( الايام), تحول‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮עליות ומורדות, תהפוכות, תמורות, שינויים‬

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