capricious

adjective

ca·pri·cious kə-ˈpri-shəs How to pronounce capricious (audio)

-ˈprē-

: governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable

capriciously adverb

capriciousness noun

Did you know?

How long has caprice appeared in English?

The adjective capricious and its close relation, the noun caprice (a synonym of whim), both derive via French from the Italian capriccio, which originally referred not to a sudden desire but to a sudden shudder of fear. Capriccio, in turn, likely derives from the Italian capo, meaning "head," and riccio, the word for "hedgehog." The implication was that someone who shuddered in fear was said to have a "hedgehog head," meaning that the person's hair stood on end like the spines of a hedgehog.

Example Sentences

… 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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Under the steady composure, the young mother hides a web of complicated feelings and a capricious, self-deluding narrative.

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2022 Due to the links style of play, set-up and capricious weather, momentum is not necessarily rewarded at the Open compared to its major brethren.

Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 29 June 2022 That is, the whistleblower must show that the IRS in its decision on the facts was arbitrary and capricious (as opposed to the more traditional de novo review – where the court decides the issue).

Dean Zerbe, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Critics of strict red-flag laws and more robust background checks often lament those restrictions as capricious, arbitrary, and lacking due process.

Byjohn Cohen, ABC News, 7 July 2022 All of this comes as China’s economic problems—a dysfunctional housing market, high youth unemployment, rising skepticism among Western multinationals and a capricious regulatory environment—increasingly look structural rather than cyclical.

Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, 6 Aug. 2022 By assigning an arbitrator to oversee the review of facts and decide on the initial penalty, the revision aimed to stem criticisms of Goodell’s outsized and sometimes capricious power in the disciplinary process.

New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 But Antoinette is capricious rather than malicious (imagine Annie Hall in the natural world).

Armond White, National Review, 27 July 2022 But perception doesn't always line up with reality, and the economists at the Federal Reserve are as susceptible to capricious economic shifts as you and I.

Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 24 July 2022 See More

单词	capriciousness
释义	capricious adjective ca·pri·cious kə-ˈpri-shəs -ˈprē- : governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable capriciously adverb capriciousness noun Did you know? How long has caprice appeared in English? The adjective capricious and its close relation, the noun caprice (a synonym of whim), both derive via French from the Italian capriccio, which originally referred not to a sudden desire but to a sudden shudder of fear. Capriccio, in turn, likely derives from the Italian capo, meaning "head," and riccio, the word for "hedgehog." The implication was that someone who shuddered in fear was said to have a "hedgehog head," meaning that the person's hair stood on end like the spines of a hedgehog. Synonyms changeable changeful fickle flickery fluctuating fluid inconsistent inconstant mercurial mutable skittish temperamental uncertain unpredictable unsettled unstable unsteady variable volatile See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … 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. See More Recent Examples on the Web Under the steady composure, the young mother hides a web of complicated feelings and a capricious, self-deluding narrative. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2022 Due to the links style of play, set-up and capricious weather, momentum is not necessarily rewarded at the Open compared to its major brethren. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 29 June 2022 That is, the whistleblower must show that the IRS in its decision on the facts was arbitrary and capricious (as opposed to the more traditional de novo review – where the court decides the issue). Dean Zerbe, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Critics of strict red-flag laws and more robust background checks often lament those restrictions as capricious, arbitrary, and lacking due process. Byjohn Cohen, ABC News, 7 July 2022 All of this comes as China’s economic problems—a dysfunctional housing market, high youth unemployment, rising skepticism among Western multinationals and a capricious regulatory environment—increasingly look structural rather than cyclical. Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, 6 Aug. 2022 By assigning an arbitrator to oversee the review of facts and decide on the initial penalty, the revision aimed to stem criticisms of Goodell’s outsized and sometimes capricious power in the disciplinary process. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 But Antoinette is capricious rather than malicious (imagine Annie Hall in the natural world). Armond White, National Review, 27 July 2022 But perception doesn't always line up with reality, and the economists at the Federal Reserve are as susceptible to capricious economic shifts as you and I. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 24 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology borrowed from Middle French capricieux, borrowed from Italian capriccioso, from capriccio caprice + -oso -ous First Known Use 1601, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition capricious adjective ca·pri·cious kə-ˈpri-shəs 1 : moved or controlled by a sudden desire a capricious shopper 2 : likely to change suddenly capricious weather Legal Definition capricious adjective ca·pri·cious kə-ˈpri-shəs, -ˈprē- 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 capriciousness noun as in impulsiveness an inclination to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions the client's capriciousness frustrated the building contractor to no end Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance impulsiveness whimsicality unpredictability freakishness arbitrariness fickleness caprice eccentricity variableness whimsicalness volatility variability changeability flexibility mutability flakiness willfulness irregularity moodiness mercurialness inconstancy volatileness Antonyms & Near Antonyms practicality inflexibility reasonableness invariability immutability levelheadedness reasonability fixedness firmness immovability stability constancy steadfastness steadiness fastness changelessness immovableness See More
随便看	do the same do the trick do the washing-up do the/one's laundry do time do up do ut des do ut facias do ut in do violence to do well do well by do well by (someone) do well by someone do what with do what with (something) do what with something do with do without do wonders do wrong do y mo do you think do you think (that) do you think that

capricious

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

Legal Definition

adjective

noun