Capricious: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Capricious adjective. Changing mood or behaviour suddenly and without reason.
How to say it
kuh-PRISH-us/kəˈprɪʃəs/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (PRISH).
Capricious in a sentence
The capricious owner fired the chef on Monday and rehired him by Thursday.
Mountain weather is capricious: sunshine at nine, hail by ten.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- fickle
- whimsical
- erratic
- mercurial
Opposite:
- steady
- consistent
Where capricious comes from
From Italian capriccio, a sudden start or whim; its earlier history is debated.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Mountain weather is _____: sunshine at nine, hail by ten.
- dour
- capricious
- pious
Show the answer
capricious: Mountain weather is capricious: sunshine at nine, hail by ten.