noun
whimsy
WIHM-zee
Whimsy (noun) means a playful, quaint, or fanciful quality; also, a passing fanciful idea. Example: “The garden was decorated with little touches of whimsy, like painted gnomes and a crooked signpost.”
noun
1
A playful, quaint, or fanciful quality; also, a passing fanciful idea.
"It’s a lovely sequence cut too short because the show seems afraid to give itself over to romance and whimsy and wistfulness when it has wedgie jokes to deliver."
— Nathan Rabin, The Simpsons (Classic): ‘New Kid on the Block’ [season 4, episode 8; originally aired 12 November 1992] (2012)
"The garden was decorated with little touches of whimsy, like painted gnomes and a crooked signpost."
"His novels are known for their whimsy and gentle humour."
How to use whimsy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA playful, fanciful quality, or a lighthearted odd idea.
Common pairings
a touch of whimsy
childlike whimsy
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Word forms
- Plural
- whimsies
- Third person singular
- whimsies
- Past tense
- whimsied
- Comparative
- whimsier
- Superlative
- whimsiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The garden was decorated with little touches of _____, like painted gnomes and a crooked signpost.
Etymology
Probably formed from whim plus the noun ending -y; closely related to the older word whim-wham.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for whimsy
See all rhymes for whimsy →Frequently asked questions
What does “whimsy” mean?
The word “whimsy” means a playful, quaint, or fanciful quality; also, a passing fanciful idea. In plain terms, a playful, fanciful quality, or a lighthearted odd idea.
How do you pronounce “whimsy”?
“Whimsy” is pronounced WIHM-zee (/ˈwɪmzi/ in IPA).
How do you use “whimsy” in a sentence?
Here is “whimsy” used in a sentence: “The garden was decorated with little touches of whimsy, like painted gnomes and a crooked signpost.”
What part of speech is “whimsy”?
“Whimsy” is a noun.
