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Trace Whimsical Back to the 16th Century
Even the origin of whimsical is whimsical: its ultimate source (by way of the noun whimsy) is the now-obscure whim-wham, a noun from the early 16th century that first referred to an ornamental object or trinket, and later to an eccentric impulse or interest—that is, to what in modern terms can be called a whim. The origin of whim-wham isn’t clear, but it’s among a class of words known as reduplications, words that are formed by repeating a word, as in go-go, or by adding to a word one that sounds very similar to it, as in dillydally. (In the case of whim-wham, the original duplicated term has been lost to time.) While whimsical first described those who tend toward whimsy, it now commonly describes things that are unusual in a playful or amusing way, as in “charmed by the book’s whimsical illustrations.”
Examples of whimsical in a Sentence
Janice Wald Henderson, Chocolatier, March 2001
Unlike the broad slapstick humor of Musical Mose and other early Herriman strips, Krazy Kat was gentle, fey, and whimsical.
—Jeet Heer, Lingua Franca, September 2001
In the whimsical linguistics of theoretical physics, the "naked" electron is an imaginary object cut off from the influences of the field, whereas a "dressed" electron carries the imprint of the universe, but it is all buried in extremely tiny modifications to its bare properties.
—Leon Lederman et al., The God Particle, 1993
She has a whimsical sense of humor.
it's hard to make plans with such a whimsical best friend
Laura Kristine Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2023
For Last Line features a colorful collection of jewelry in fun and whimsical styles that are great for everyday maximalist pieces.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2023
Mushroom Cocktail Glass These Mushroom Cocktail Glasses are creatively designed into the shape of everyone’s favorite fungi, adding a whimsical touch to your home bar or party.
—Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2023
Elon Musk’s Tesla, for instance, is building a whimsical drive-in movie and diner complex in Hollywood where Tesla owners can entertain themselves while loading their batteries.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2023
But the 1,000-year-old language is infinitely rich, even whimsical.
—Emily Wax-Thibodeaux, Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2023
Fashion’s love affair with ribbons has officially made its way from the spring runways to the (almost) fall front row, and Emma Watson’s interpretation of the trend more wearable than whimsical.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2023
The once long, large lobby is now broken down into cozier living rooms with whimsical art—Boston boy Ben Franklin blowing bubbles!—and velour couches in tones of dusky plum and mustard.
—Linda Laban, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2023
Its whimsical design and excellent location make this affordable gem a must-stay in the capital city.
—Meena Thiruvengadam, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whimsical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
whimsy
1653, in the meaning defined at sense 2
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Cite this Entry
“Whimsical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whimsical. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
whimsical
adjective
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