adj Uncommon

frivolous

FRIHV-uh-luhs

Frivolous (adj) means Silly or lacking seriousness, especially at a time when seriousness is expected. Example: “He was fired for making frivolous jokes during the safety briefing.”

adj

Silly or lacking seriousness, especially at a time when seriousness is expected.

"He was fired for making frivolous jokes during the safety briefing."

Of little real importance or value; trivial.

"She spent her bonus on frivolous purchases like novelty mugs."

Legal: describing a claim or lawsuit that has no serious legal basis and is unlikely to succeed.

"The judge dismissed the case as frivolous."

How to use frivolous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSilly, unimportant, or (in law) lacking any real merit.

Common pairings

a frivolous lawsuit frivolous spending frivolous remark

Word forms

more frivolous comparative, most frivolous superlative

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He was fired for making _____ jokes during the safety briefing.

Etymology

From Latin frīvolus ("trifling, worthless"), with the English ending "-ous" added.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for frivolous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

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Frequently asked questions

What does “frivolous” mean?

The word “frivolous” means silly or lacking seriousness, especially at a time when seriousness is expected. In plain terms, silly, unimportant, or (in law) lacking any real merit.

How do you pronounce “frivolous”?

“Frivolous” is pronounced FRIHV-uh-luhs (/ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/ in IPA).

How do you use “frivolous” in a sentence?

Here is “frivolous” used in a sentence: “He was fired for making frivolous jokes during the safety briefing.”

What part of speech is “frivolous”?

“Frivolous” is an adjective.

Where does the word “frivolous” come from?

The word “frivolous” comes from Latin. From Latin frīvolus ("trifling, worthless"), with the English ending "-ous" added.

Is “frivolous” a common word?

“Frivolous” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “frivolous” have?

“Frivolous” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: silly or lacking seriousness, especially at a time when seriousness is expected.