whimsy

[ hwim-zee, wim- ]

noun

, plural whim·sies.

1. capricious humor or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression:

   a play with lots of whimsy.

2. an odd or fanciful notion.

   Synonyms: humor, whim, caprice

3. anything odd or fanciful; a product of playful or capricious fancy:

   a whimsy from an otherwise thoughtful writer.

whimsy

/ ˈwɪmzɪ /

noun

1. a capricious idea or notion
2. light or fanciful humour
3. something quaint or unusual

adjective

1. quaint, comical, or unusual, often in a tasteless way

Word History and Origins

Origin of whimsy¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; whim(-wham) + -sy

Word History and Origins

Origin of whimsy¹

C17: from whim ; compare flimsy

Example Sentences

If you want to add inspiration and whimsy to the desk, the Lamicall stand is the spark of originality we could all use.

From Popular-Science

In what is sometimes a very serious city, the project is a way to bring creativity, whimsy and delight to the city streets and passersby of all ages.

From Washington Post

Whether you’re hoping to decorate a cake, jazz up a salad, adorn a cocktail, or simply enjoy a snack from nature, edible flowers can add a touch of whimsy and natural beauty to your diet.

From Popular-Science

Recognizing the dignity and the whimsy and some of the history of one other human may help, if you try to imagine the same qualities in everyone.

From Washington Post

We did beef up on a little bit of humor, a little bit of whimsy.

From Digiday

There was also an off-putting conflict between whimsy and realism.

From The Daily Beast

Blasim is not the kind of post-modern absurdist who trades in forced, inconsequential whimsy.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, focussing on wellbeing over whimsy is okay sometimes, but it can't be our only option in a market with so much scope.

From The Daily Beast

Her fantastical accumulations of detritus and throwaway goods can seem to pack more whimsy than wallop.

From The Daily Beast

But instead of focusing purely on the color and whimsy of blossoms, Simons looked at their structure.

From The Daily Beast

The whimsy creatures we are matched to contrast with, shift as the very winds or feather-grasses in the wind.

From Project Gutenberg

He called our marriage and the life we were living a comedy, and used to say it was a caprice, a whimsy.

From Project Gutenberg

There needs none to agitate the mind; a mere whimsy without body and without subject will rule and agitate it.

From Project Gutenberg

Kenny, who believed all things of Fate when the pet or victim was himself, refused absolutely to credit her crowning whimsy.

From Project Gutenberg

Lying in bed that morning, she found herself caught by her old impersonal whimsy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• playfulness