whimsy
Americannoun
noun
-
a capricious idea or notion
-
light or fanciful humour
-
something quaint or unusual
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of whimsy
First recorded in 1595–1605; whim(-wham) + -sy
Explanation
Whimsy is what a person who's a dreamer and out of step with the real world might have lots of. People who are full of whimsy are odd, but often fanciful and lovely, like Harry Potter's friend Luna Lovegood. Whimsy is also a whim — something you do just because you want to. If you find a postcard of Alaska and take that as a reason to move there, that could qualify as whimsy. Whimsy is irrational, but playful. If you decorate your house with whimsy, you may have a wall decorated with butterflies and giant daisies with googly eyes, and a couch trimmed with peacock feathers and vinyl. It's amusing and witty, and you’re a master of whimsy.
Vocabulary lists containing whimsy
Kindred
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Swing
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"All That" by David Foster Wallace
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On opening night, the crowd claps along to the numbers, cheering with delight at each new piece of whimsy that rolls or soars onto the floor-level stage.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Living together in the group house, Dario, Daniela and Karnofsky had shared both a commitment to AI safety and a sense of whimsy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
The boy who left Oxford all whimsy and loose, would become someone wondrous... the marvellous Dr. Seuss.
From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026
Where Paul was formulaic and structured, Prue brought the whimsy and “Let’s just see what happens” attitude, and the two together created the perfect pair, highlighting everything that the art of baking is about.
From Salon • Jan. 22, 2026
As though, with gifts and whimsy, she might soften the blow of her news.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
