frothy

American  

[fraw-thee, froth-ee] / ˈfrɔ θi, ˈfrɒθ i /

adjective

frothier, frothiest

1. of, like, or having froth; foamy.

2. unsubstantial; trifling; shallow; empty.

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Other Word Forms

• frothily adverb
• frothiness noun

Etymology

Origin of frothy

First recorded in 1525–35; froth + -y ¹

Explanation

Something frothy is composed of many small air bubbles. You might like your cappuccino frothy but probably not your tap water. If you order a cappuccino at a cafe, you'll get a cup of strong coffee topped with frothy milk, and a cake recipe might instruct you to beat four eggs until they're frothy. In both examples, air bubbles cause a liquid to become foamy and creamy. A frothy person, however, is bubbly in a different way, full of life and excitement. There's often an implication of "insubstantial," or even "silly" when a person or idea is described as frothy.

Example Sentences

On the plains of northwestern Iran, edged by snow-ribboned ridges, spring nudges almond trees into frothy bloom and a fragile ceasefire brings more traffic onto highways, and more Iranians back to their homeland.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

In other words, this isn’t a frothy market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

But the first-quarter fundraising decline reflects what Walters called the industry’s “reset” as it tries to digest the investments from the frothy years of 2020 and 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

However, it is in the volatile, frothy and speculative stock market, dominated by retail traders, where the most damage has been inflicted.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

And it sounds like they’re talking about their fiancés, but they’re talking about a frothy mixture of tulle and lace?

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon