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

Grab a few of the brand’s vibrant Flower Plates in Turquoise (the only hue that’s currently in stock), whose ridged, upward-sloping edges will add many tablespoons of whimsy to all upcoming meals. —Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 17 Mar. 2025

Manifesting with Miniatures Dream big, except smaller—miniature crafts have surged as a way for people to tap into their inner whimsy and creativity. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025

Chef William Bradley’s tasting menu destination riffs on local flavors while merging luxury and whimsy. —Andy Wang, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

A lot of that comes from knowing and experience, but that doesn’t mean there’s reason to let go of the whimsy. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 7 Mar. 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