Vagary - vagueness

Do not confuse the related words vagary and vagueness. They are related in origin, and similar in meaning; but should always be kept distinct in academic writing.

• A vagary (pronounced 'VAIG-er-y', IPA: /'veɪ gə rɪ/, is a quirk; an eccentric piece, or pattern, of behaviour; an oddity, an eccentricity; a capricious whim. It does not mean an absence of mind, or a wandering of attention: that is the meaning of
• vagueness (pronounced IPA: /'veɪg nɪs/) - the abstract noun meaning 'the condition of being (adjective) vague'.
  • Neither of these terms have anything to do with vagal ('VAIG-el', IPA: /'veɪ gəl/), a term from medical sciences meaning 'to do with the vagus, or pneumogastric, or tenth cranial, nerve, which passes from the brain stem through the neck into much of the body below.

Etymological note: all three of these words ultimately derive from the Latin root vagus 'wandering', 'straying' or the cognate vagari 'to wander'.

Note: different spellings are recorded of vagary: the 'eggcorn forum' (http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/viewtopic.php?id=517) lists vaguery/vagueries, vaguary/vaguaries and vagery/vageries. These are all incorrect; and those writers who affect a French tone in their writing by using an italicized vaguerie merely reveal their ignorance of current French, in which the word does not appear to be recorded.