whimsy

American  

[hwim-zee, wim-] / ˈʰwɪm zi, ˈwɪm- /

Also whimsey

noun

plural

whimsies

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.

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whimsy British  

/ ˈwɪmzɪ /

noun

1. a capricious idea or notion

2. light or fanciful humour

3. something quaint or unusual

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adjective

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

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.

Example Sentences

Whimsy to Spare Aug. 19, 2016; Enatai A giant neon bowling-alley sign is the shining North Star of the neighborhood.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 24, 2021

Whimsy is OK when there's something intellectual lurking beneath it, as with "The Good Place" or "Russian Doll."

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2020

Whimsy is the reason why I use TikTok, and Kauishou goes heavy on the whimsy.

From Slate • Nov. 7, 2019

Whimsy and self-expression were certainly familiar to the artist who carved the 19th-century ivory netsuke of an octopus playing multiple musical instruments.

From Washington Post • Mar. 10, 2017

Her nose was the tiny, impudent one of Whimsy White at her loveliest moment; her lips were the perfect bow of Tips Alva; her silvery eyes and dusky velvet hair were those of Joan Caldwell.

From The Ideal by Weinbaum, Stanley Grauman

Related Words

• playfulness