Literature

Definition of lament

A lament is a complaint that may include various signs of distress, such as screams, sighs, or crying. A lament – ​​from the Latin lamentum – is an expression of pain, anguish, or dissatisfaction. For example: “There is nothing sadder than the lament of a mother who has lost her son,” “Your lament does not move me: give me back my son,” and “Your […]

Definition of cronopio

Cronopio is a concept created by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar (1914–1984). Cronopios are green and moist beings, as imagined by the author of “Rayuela”, who never gave too many details about the physical appearance of these characters. The first time Cortázar used the term was in an article published in […]

Definition of vast

Vast is an adjective that refers to something extended, dilated or very large. We must go back to Latin to find the etymological origin of the term: it comes from vastus, which can be translated as “desert or empty”. Vast, therefore, is the opposite of limited or small. For example: “The king exercised […]

Definition of sainete

The subgenres within theatre can be divided into major (tragedy, drama and comedy) and minor (auto sacramental, sainete and entremés); the former are complex representations, divided into several acts, while the latter are generally composed of a single act and last a short time. The word sainete is used to identify the pieces […]

Definition of editor

Editor, from the Latin word editor, is someone who edits. The verb to edit, on the other hand, refers to publishing a work through some medium or to correcting and adapting a work according to certain rules and norms. An editor, therefore, can be a person who is dedicated to publishing a work […]

Definition of bookstore

A bookstore is a commercial establishment or store that sells books. There are bookstores of all kinds, from small premises with a few copies to entire buildings that offer thousands of publications. Bookstores can belong to a chain with many branches or have a single point of sale. For example: “I already […]

Definition of prolegomenon

Prolegomenon is a term derived from a Greek word that can be translated as “preambles”. The concept is used to name the treatise that is located at the beginning of a work with the intention of establishing the general foundations of what will be discussed next. For example: “The sociologist explains in the prolegomenon of his essay what […]

Definition of prolific

Prolific, from the Latin proles, is an adjective that refers to someone who has the virtue of engendering. The term is also used to name someone who is the author or creator of many works and things. For example: «The hen is a very prolific animal since it lays many eggs», «I am not a prolific writer, I have barely […]

Definition of critical reading

Critical reading is the technique or process that allows us to discover the ideas and information that underlie a written text. This requires analytical, reflective and active reading. Before continuing with the definition, it is important to discover the etymological origin of the two words that give shape to the concept: […]

Definition of criticism

The word criticism, which comes from the Latin criticus, identifies the opinion, examination or judgment that is formulated in relation to a situation, service, proposal, person or object. Criticism is usually expressed publicly and revolves around the content of an artistic work, a show, a book, etc. For example: “The new movie […]