capricious

adjective

ca·​pri·​cious kə-ˈpri-shəs How to pronounce capricious (audio) -ˈprē- How to pronounce capricious (audio)
: governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable
capriciously adverb
capriciousness noun

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Caprice and Capricious

The adjective capricious and its close relation, the noun caprice (a synonym of whim), both come via French from the Italian word capriccio, which has disputed origins. Capriccio originally referred not to a sudden desire but to a sudden shiver of horror and likely comes from the Italian capo, meaning “head,” and riccio, the word for “hedgehog.” The implication was that someone who shuddered in fear or horror was said to have a “hedgehog head,” meaning that the person’s hair stood on end like the spines of a hedgehog. The link between a whim and a shiver of horror is notably tenuous, though, and a possible link to Italian capra, meaning “goat,” has also been suggested, given the whimsy goats seem to employ in their gamboling. (Here is a full treatment of the disputed etymology.) Whatever its origins, capriccio came to mean “whim, fancy,” which directly relates to its uses today. Something done in a capricious manner is done on a whim, as in “a capricious decision to join the circus.”

Choose the Right Synonym for capricious

inconstant, fickle, capricious, mercurial, unstable mean lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion).

inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

Examples of capricious in a Sentence

… every balloon voyage is a race between capricious winds and the amount of fuel on board. Tom Morganthau, Newsweek, 29 Mar. 1999
She is capricious, however, and is said to take bribes and wantonly peddle her influence from time to time. Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994
Lady Luck is a capricious mother who, as in a recurrent nightmare, always offers, never comes through, and never stops smiling. Hugh Drummond, Boston Magazine, November 1989
I don't believe in random occurrences or blind chance, though I know the patterns of this world are capricious and terribly complex. Leslie Marmon Silko, letter, 21 Aug. 1979
employees who are at the mercy of a capricious manager The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.
Recent Examples on the Web Gensler has been widely criticized within both the bitcoin and broader crypto space for regulating through capricious enforcement action rather than proactive, principled rule making. Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 For the collection that debuted Sunday, her comic-strip like illustrations of her capricious cats personified came to life at the Astier de Villatte boutique in Paris in Rue Saint-Honore during Paris Fashion Week. Sofia Celeste, WWD, 30 Sep. 2024 With one-party rule, a capricious government can get involved at any time, for any reason…or no reason. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2024 Zoom out: Most of the blame is being pointed at Xi, including his capricious crackdowns on homegrown tech giants and IPOs (both at home and overseas) that eviscerated business certainty. Dan Primack, Axios, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for capricious 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'capricious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French capricieux, borrowed from Italian capriccioso, from capriccio caprice + -oso -ous

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of capricious was in 1588

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Dictionary Entries Near capricious

Cite this Entry

“Capricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capricious. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

capricious

adjective
ca·​pri·​cious kə-ˈprish-əs How to pronounce capricious (audio) -ˈprē-shəs How to pronounce capricious (audio)
: moved or controlled by caprice : apt to change suddenly
a capricious child
capricious weather
capriciously adverb
capriciousness noun

Legal Definition

capricious

adjective
ca·​pri·​cious kə-ˈpri-shəs, -ˈprē- How to pronounce capricious (audio)
1
: governed or characterized by impulse or whim: as
a
: lacking a rational basis
b
: likely to change suddenly
2
: not supported by the weight of evidence or established rules of law
often used in the phrase arbitrary and capricious
capriciously adverb
capriciousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on capricious

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