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capricious

[ kuh-prish-uhs, -pree-shuhs ]
/ kəˈprɪʃ əs, -ˈpri ʃəs /
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adjective

subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic: He's such a capricious boss I never know how he'll react.
Obsolete. fanciful or witty.

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RELATED WORDS

anxiety, vulnerability, weakness, fluctuation, uncertainty, insecurity, volatility, peculiarity, idiosyncrasy, weirdness, foible, quirk, oscillation, alternation, immaturity, vacillation, hesitation, pliancy, disquiet, unsteadiness

Nearby words

  1. capri-,
  2. capric acid,
  3. capriccio,
  4. capriccioso,
  5. caprice,
  6. capriciously,
  7. capricorn,
  8. capricornia,
  9. capricornian,
  10. capricornus

Origin of capricious

1585–95; < Italian capriccioso capriccioso
ANTONYMS FOR capricious
1. steady, constant, consistent.
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Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for capriciousness

British Dictionary definitions for capriciousness

capricious

/ (kəˈprɪʃəs) /

adjective

characterized by or liable to sudden unpredictable changes in attitude or behaviour; impulsive; fickle
Derived Formscapriciously, adverbcapriciousness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for capriciousness

capricious

adj.

1590s, from French capricieux "whimsical" (16c.), from Italian capriccioso, from capriccio (see caprice). Related: Capriciously; capriciousness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper