Langimage
English

capriciously-applied

|ca-pric-ious-ly-ap-plied|

C1

/kəˈprɪʃəsli əˈplaɪd/

(capricious)

unpredictable behavior

Base FormNounAdverb
capriciouscapriciousnesscapriciously
Etymology
Etymology Information

'capricious' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'capriccio,' where 'capo' meant 'head' and 'riccio' meant 'hedgehog,' suggesting a sudden change of mind.

Historical Evolution

'capriccio' transformed into the French word 'caprice,' and eventually became the modern English word 'capricious' through Middle English.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'a sudden change of mind,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'unpredictable or whimsical.'

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adjective 1

applied in a manner that is subject to sudden, unpredictable changes or whims.

The rules were capriciously-applied, leading to confusion among the participants.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/06/19 15:30