escapade

noun

es·​ca·​pade ˈe-skə-ˌpād 

: a usually adventurous action that runs counter to approved or conventional conduct

Did you know?

When it was first used in English, escapade referred to an act of escaping or fleeing from confinement or restraint. The relationship between escape and escapade does not end there. Both words derive from the Vulgar Latin verb excappare, meaning "to escape," a product of the Latin prefix ex- and the Late Latin noun cappa, meaning "head covering or cloak." While escape took its route through Anglo-French and Middle English, however, escapade made its way into English by way of the Spanish escapar ("to escape") and the French escapade.

Synonyms

• antic
• caper
• capriccio
• dido
• frolic
• gag
• jest
• knavery
• monkeyshine(s)
• practical joke
• prank
• rag [chiefly British]
• roguery
• shavie [Scottish]
• shine(s)
• trick
• waggery

Examples of escapade in a Sentence

As a teenager he embarked on a series of ill-advised escapades.

their escapades at the prep school became the stuff of boarding-school legend

Recent Examples on the Web

Athena Returns Home After nine terrifying days for Comer, who worried about what her already skittish dog could have encountered on her escapade, the owner got a Ring video notification from her doorbell at 2:30 a.m. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024

Because of her alleged escapades, locals have compared Flynn to Brady, the former New England Patriots quarterback who is widely considered the greatest football player ever. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024

Most of the arcades are open late into the evening as well, making for a quite fun after-dinner, slightly tipsy escapade. —Reece Rogers, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2024

Here’s a roundup of the best adventure travel gifts to supercharge any thrill seeker’s next escapade, from the warmest gloves for ski trips to a compact, waterproof camera to capture every moment. —Joni Sweet, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, action of escaping, from Spanish escapada, from escapar to escape, from Vulgar Latin *excappare

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

escapade

noun

es·​ca·​pade ˈes-kə-ˌpād 

: a mischievous adventure