noun
caprice
kuh-PREES
noun
1
A sudden, impulsive change of mind or behavior with no clear reason.
"On a caprice, she booked a flight to Lisbon that same afternoon."
"The king's decisions often seemed driven by caprice rather than policy."
How to Use Caprice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden, whimsical impulse or change with no real reason behind it.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
on a caprice
subject to caprice
Word Forms
caprices plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “caprice”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
On a _____, she booked a flight to Lisbon that same afternoon.
Etymology
From French caprice, from Italian capriccio, originally meaning "a sudden fright" — literally a "hedgehog head" (hair standing on end), from caput ("head") and riccio ("hedgehog").