whimsy

noun

whim·​sy ˈ(h)wim-zē 

variants or less commonly whimsey

plural whimsies also whimseys

1

: whim, caprice

2

: the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful

the designer's new line showed a touch of whimsy

3

: a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art

Synonyms

• bee
• caprice
• crank
• fancy
• freak
• humor
• kink
• maggot
• megrim
• notion
• vagary
• vagrancy
• whim

Examples of whimsy in a Sentence

The designer's new line showed a touch of whimsy.

a bit of decorative whimsy

Recent Examples on the Web

The South Korean singer, rapper and actress brought a touch of whimsy to the front row thanks to her fanciful-inspired attire. —Julia Teti, WWD, 28 Jan. 2025

Bag charms became pretty popular last year, and that’s a gentler, but effective expression of that kind of whimsy. —Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 23 Jan. 2025

Photo: Hayley Ellen Day The renovation mixed original moldings and floors with pops of whimsy. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2025

Maximalists embrace eclectic collections, lots of color and texture, and a sense of whimsy. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

irregular from whim-wham

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

whimsy

noun

whim·​sy

variants also whimsey

ˈhwim-zē 

ˈwim-

plural whimsies also whimseys

1

: whim, caprice

2

: the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful

the designer's new line of swimwear showed a touch of whimsy

3

: an imaginative or fantastic object or creation especially in a piece of writing or art