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

Author Tom Robbins, whose novels read like a hit of literary LSD, filled with fantastical characters, manic metaphors and counterculture whimsy, died on Sunday. —Bill Trott, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025

Tiled Floors Thurman says some kitchens in the 1990s had tile floors that differentiated themselves from the rest of the home and added a bit of whimsy. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2025

Hang String Lights on the Ceiling Add a touch of whimsy to a playroom or bedroom by hanging string lights on the ceiling. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2025

But the performances are so lived-in that what could have been an overdose of whimsy instead acquires emotional substance in its reflections on life, above all on accepting the sadness and regrets of the past and finding a forward path. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 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