frivolity
Americannoun
-
the quality or state of being frivolous.
the frivolity of Mardi Gras.
- Synonyms:
- foolishness, levity, abandon, triviality, irresponsibility, self-indulgence
-
a frivolous act or thing.
It was a frivolity he had a hard time living down.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of frivolity
From the French word frivolité, dating back to 1790–1800. See frivolous, -ity
Explanation
Frivolity is a type of clownishness or silliness. Frivolity is the opposite of getting down to business in a serious way. If people are running around a classroom, throwing things, and laughing, the teacher might say, "Why all the frivolity?" This is a word for clowning or horsing around — not being serious. There's a happy flavor to this word. Giggling when you should be listening could be considered frivolity. Also, anything that's insignificant is a type of frivolity, as in "That's nothing! Just a bit of frivolity!"
Vocabulary lists containing frivolity
Persepolis
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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.
The vulgar kitsch of “The Housemaid” is its silly secret weapon, and it’s Seyfried who stays reloading the ammunition, making sure that this hefty dose of frivolity is as unforgettable as its conventionally prestigious contemporaries.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026
Instead, like a still condensing sugar-saturated slop into a refined liquor, this downsizing concentrates the force of his images, shifting the mood from one of frivolity to seriousness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
Mixing humour and politics - a tactic social scientists call "tactical frivolity" - is not new.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
But if Gannett goes the way of Disney and settles this, the frivolity will only deepen.
From Slate • Dec. 21, 2024
Suddenly, Dedd feels foolish, caught in her frivolity as if she were a kitten knotted in yam.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
