Hey peeps! The word we're gonna be looking at today is capricious.
Capricious
Adjective
Pronunciation
/kəˈprɪʃəs/ (cup-REE-shus)
Definition(s)
1. (about a person or group) susceptible to sudden changes in mood or behaviour.
Eg. The politician's capricious behaviour did not make him very popular.
2. Unpredictable.
Eg. The weather there can be very capricious.
Synonyms
Volatile, fickle, mercurial
Antonyms
Stable, consistent
Origin
The word originated from the Italian capriccio, from where it traveled to English via French.
The origin flowchart is as follows:
Italian: capriccio, from capo (head) + riccio (hedgehog), literally "hedgehog head" -- referring to a sudden shudder of fear, which made a person's hair stand on end like the spines of a hedgehog
French: capricieux
English: capricious (early 17th c.)
Usage cues for similar words
Capricious, as well as most of its synonyms, carries mainly negative connotations.
Volatile
Volatile refers to instability of one's mood more often than behaviour.
Eg. Her volatile moods made it difficult to get to know her.
Fickle
Fickle usually refers to inconsistent behaviour, although it can also refer to mood.
Eg. Linda attributed the failure of her marriage to her wife's fickle nature.
Mercurial
Mercurial denotes not just unpredictability, but also liveliness. As a word often used to describe politicians and other persons in position of authority or power, it's a pretty powerful word itself. It carries more positive connotations than capricious and most of its synonyms.
Eg. Her mercurial temperament made her an interesting person to be around.
That's all for today then. Keep watching this space for more!
Capricious
Adjective
Pronunciation
/kəˈprɪʃəs/ (cup-REE-shus)
Definition(s)
1. (about a person or group) susceptible to sudden changes in mood or behaviour.
Eg. The politician's capricious behaviour did not make him very popular.
2. Unpredictable.
Eg. The weather there can be very capricious.
Synonyms
Volatile, fickle, mercurial
Antonyms
Stable, consistent
Origin
The word originated from the Italian capriccio, from where it traveled to English via French.
The origin flowchart is as follows:
Italian: capriccio, from capo (head) + riccio (hedgehog), literally "hedgehog head" -- referring to a sudden shudder of fear, which made a person's hair stand on end like the spines of a hedgehog
French: capricieux
English: capricious (early 17th c.)
Usage cues for similar words
Capricious, as well as most of its synonyms, carries mainly negative connotations.
Volatile
Volatile refers to instability of one's mood more often than behaviour.
Eg. Her volatile moods made it difficult to get to know her.
Fickle
Fickle usually refers to inconsistent behaviour, although it can also refer to mood.
Eg. Linda attributed the failure of her marriage to her wife's fickle nature.
Mercurial
Mercurial denotes not just unpredictability, but also liveliness. As a word often used to describe politicians and other persons in position of authority or power, it's a pretty powerful word itself. It carries more positive connotations than capricious and most of its synonyms.
Eg. Her mercurial temperament made her an interesting person to be around.
That's all for today then. Keep watching this space for more!
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