caprice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal or literary
Quick answer
What does “caprice” mean?
A sudden, unpredictable, or whimsical change of mind or behaviour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sudden, unpredictable, or whimsical change of mind or behaviour; a fanciful impulse.
An art form or artistic work (like a piece of music) that is lively, fanciful, and often improvisational in style.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is of equal formality in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, it carries connotations of fickleness and unreliability, and can be slightly pejorative when describing behaviour.
Frequency
Used with similar low frequency in both UK and US contexts, typically in more formal, literary, or intellectual registers.
Grammar
How to Use “caprice” in a Sentence
act on a capricesubject to the caprices of (someone/something)a caprice for (something)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “caprice” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standard; the verb form 'caprice' is archaic and not in use. Use 'act capriciously'.)
American English
- (Not standard; the verb form 'caprice' is archaic and not in use. Use 'act on a caprice'.)
adverb
British English
- (Use 'capriciously'). He would capriciously change the meeting agenda.
American English
- (Use 'capriciously'). Funding was awarded capriciously, with no clear criteria.
adjective
British English
- (Use 'capricious'). The weather in April is notoriously capricious.
American English
- (Use 'capricious'). The stock market can be capricious and unforgiving.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The CEO's latest strategic shift was dismissed by analysts as a mere caprice.
Academic
Historians debate whether the king's decision was a calculated move or a political caprice.
Everyday
I painted the kitchen yellow on a caprice, but now I'm not so sure.
Technical
In psychology, caprice is not a clinical term but relates to concepts of impulsivity and lability.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “caprice”
- Confusing 'caprice' with 'chaos' (caprice implies a sudden change, not general disorder).
- Using it in overly casual contexts where 'whim' or 'impulse' would be more natural.
- Misspelling as 'caprise' or 'capreice'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally neutral-to-negative, implying a lack of reliability, reason, or consistency. Calling a decision a 'caprice' often criticises it as arbitrary.
They are very close synonyms. 'Caprice' is more formal, literary, and often implies a slightly more pronounced, unpredictable, or irrational change. 'Whim' is more common in everyday language.
Not directly. You would use the adjective 'capricious' (e.g., 'capricious weather'). The noun 'caprice' is typically reserved for the impulses of conscious beings (people, markets, fate).
The adjective 'capricious' is used more frequently than the noun 'caprice' in modern English.
A sudden, unpredictable, or whimsical change of mind or behaviour.
Caprice is usually formal or literary in register.
Caprice: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈpriːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈpriːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Whim and caprice”
- “At the caprice of fate”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CAP being RICEd (turned into rice). The image is of something solid (a cap) being shattered into unpredictable, small grains. A caprice shatters plans into unpredictable bits.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE OF MIND IS A SUDDEN BREEZE/WIND (e.g., 'a passing caprice').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is closest in meaning to 'caprice'?