Other forms: caprices
A caprice is a sudden change of mind for no reason. On a caprice, the caprice of fashion, subject to caprice.
It names arbitrariness rather than mere changeability: a caprice has no reason behind it, which is why the word is used of tyrants and of fashion. In music, a caprice or capriccio is a lively free-form piece. Note capricious, which is much commoner than the noun; and that the Italian original meant a shudder, from hair standing on end.
1nouncapriceA sudden change of mind for no reason.
“The king's caprice could turn a favourite into a prisoner overnight.”
caprice is a whim.
ca-PRICE → the PRICE that changes for no reason
The price changed again this morning, for no reason anyone can give.
hooks ontoprice
Italian capriccio meant a shudder or sudden start, from capo, head, plus riccio, curled — hair standing on end. The sense of a whim came from the suddenness.
French
caprice
English, today
caprice
Built from
Borrowed from French caprice. Borrowed from French caprice, from Italian capriccio, from caporiccio (“fright, sudden start”). a doublet of capriccio.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA