The Rice University Neologisms Database

peaceful and enigmatic; reflective of a mystical enchantment associated with Zen Buddhism. –Ful is can be glossed as ‘full of, characterized by’ and is reflective of words like beautiful (full of, characterized by beauty) or peaceful (full of, characterized by peace). Zen reflects a distinct branch of Buddhism or a religious philosophy involving meditation and an eternal quest for enlightenment. The Martel College secretary wanted to describe the unique, enchanting aura of the residential associate’s room. The Martel residential associate’s room is full of candles and incense that emit a distinctive, religious atmosphere that closely resembles Zen Buddhism. This use of ‘Zen’ is a widening because it does not specifically refer to the teachings and ideology of the Buddha. The writer chose to utilize ‘zenful’ in her description of the residential associate’s room because she felt that related the plethora of candles and incense to the spiritual experience and enchantment associated with Zen Buddhism and temples. The residential associate’s use of incense and candles demonstrates a similarity between his residence and a religious shrine. Because the writer could not describe the residential associate’s room with the finite word stock, she decided to coin a new word that used a metaphorical relationship to effectively articulate her description of the indescribable serenity and mellowness of his room. ‘Zen’ is a borrowed word from Chinese because Buddhist schools and the origins of Buddhism can be traced back to ancient China. The writer may also have been influenced by the increased cultural exchange between various countries, as Zen, tai chi, and other Asian aspects of culture have recently entered the American culture. In the past, the world lacked the Internet and other forms of international communication such that cultures were often isolated from each other. However, Asian culture is becoming increasingly popular, and the writer was probably intrigued by the mysterious, enigmatic principles of Zen Buddhism such that she decided to incorporate Zen into describing the mood of the incense and oily candles permeating the residential associate’s room.