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whimsy

Etymology and origin of the English word whimsy

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈwɪmzi/, /ˈʍɪmzi/[1]

Etymology

It is probably related to whim-wham “fanciful object”,[2][3][4][5][6] with an ending perhaps patterned on words such as dropsy and topsy.[3][6] Whim is its later short form.[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A capricious notion or fancy (1605).[7][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Early senses included dizziness and a wench, both obsolete.[7] From a whim the word extended to a whimsical quality or humour[2][5][6] and to any fanciful creation in writing or art.[5][6]

Timeline

  • 1605 – a whim.[7][3][4][5]
  • 1653 – whimsical.[3]
  • 1684 – a merry-go-round, now obsolete.[7]
  • 1712 – capricious humour.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Playful, fanciful humour, as in writing or design.
  2. An odd or fanciful idea; a whim or caprice.
  3. A fanciful creation, especially in writing or art.

Word family

  • whimsical
  • whim
  • whim-wham

Usage notes

Random House gives caprice, whim and humor as synonyms.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d e Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Whimsy.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/whimsy. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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