Definition of vicissitude
1a
: the quality or state of being changeable : mutability
b
: natural change or mutation visible in nature or in human affairs
2a
: a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition
the vicissitudes of daily life
b
: a difficulty or hardship attendant on a way of life, a career, or a course of action and usually beyond one's control
c
: alternating change : succession
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for vicissitude
The first known use of vicissitude was circa 1576
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