capricious

adjective

ca·​pri·​cious kə-ˈpri-shəs  -ˈprē- 

: governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable

capriciously adverb

capriciousness noun

Did you know?

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.”

Synonyms

• changeable
• changeful
• fickle
• flickery
• fluctuating
• fluid
• inconsistent
• inconstant
• mercurial
• mutable
• skittish
• temperamental
• uncertain
• unpredictable
• unsettled
• unstable
• unsteady
• variable
• volatile

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

But both quakes serve as reminders of how capricious Mother Nature can be at times and our need to do our best in advance to be ready. —Tor Constantino, Mba, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton had the insight into human nature to insist that governance by the rule of law was the only way to check oligarchs and the capricious violence of an indulged king. —Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2024

The 5-6 Indianapolis Colts are among the most capricious and volatile. —Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

The circumstances of his execution gave further ammunition to critics who saw the system as capricious and absurd. —Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

capricious

adjective

ca·​pri·​cious kə-ˈprish-əs  -ˈprē-shəs 

: 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- 

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