capricious
adjective
-ˈprē-
Diane Weber BedermanDoyle Rice 
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Caprice and Capricious
The adjective capricious and its close relation, the noun caprice (a synonym of whim), both come via French from the Italian word capriccio, which has disputed origins. Capriccio originally referred not to a sudden desire but to a sudden shiver of horror and likely comes from the Italian capo, meaning “head,” and riccio, the word for “hedgehog.” The implication was that someone who shuddered in fear or horror was said to have a “hedgehog head,” meaning that the person’s hair stood on end like the spines of a hedgehog. The link between a whim and a shiver of horror is notably tenuous, though, and a possible link to Italian capra, meaning “goat,” has also been suggested, given the whimsy goats seem to employ in their gamboling. (Here is a full treatment of the disputed etymology.) Whatever its origins, capriccio came to mean “whim, fancy,” which directly relates to its uses today. Something done in a capricious manner is done on a whim, as in “a capricious decision to join the circus.”
Examples of capricious in a Sentence
Tom Morganthau, Newsweek, 29 Mar. 1999
She is capricious, however, and is said to take bribes and wantonly peddle her influence from time to time.
—Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994
Lady Luck is a capricious mother who, as in a recurrent nightmare, always offers, never comes through, and never stops smiling.
—Hugh Drummond, Boston Magazine, November 1989
I don't believe in random occurrences or blind chance, though I know the patterns of this world are capricious and terribly complex.
—Leslie Marmon Silko, letter, 21 Aug. 1979
employees who are at the mercy of a capricious manager
The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Although international law requires humanitarian access to civilians regardless of the state of conflict between the warring parties, aid to Gaza has continually been used as a bargaining chip between Israel and Hamas or restricted or blocked by Israel for capricious reasons.
—Jeremy Konyndyk, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2025
The unions have asked the court to declare that both OMB and OPM have exceeded their statutory authority and acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and to invalidate any actions that may come from the memos and guidance issued.
—Franco Ordoñez, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
First, few outdoor sports are as capricious in terms of conditions as surfing.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Cite this Entry
“Capricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capricious. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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capricious
adjective
-ˈprē-shəs
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capricious
adjective
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