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

Here’s another winner from Serena & Lily which plays with pompom accents in neutral hues for a dose of whimsy. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2025

Spring tablescapes have a way of bringing out our inner whimsy with floral placemats, colorful candlesticks, and now (again) with cabbageware: dishes that look like cabbage. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025

Directed by Adam Brooks and based on the novel by Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List aims to balance whimsy with deeply relatable emotional stakes and turn a familiar setup into something that feels universal. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Tom Robbins dazzled millions of readers with the whimsy and imagination in his bestselling novels, such as 1984's Jitterbug Perfume, Skinny Legs and All, from 1990, and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, a 1976 book adapted by director Gus Van Sant into a 1993 film. —Tom Vitale, NPR, 9 Feb. 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