Word: capricious (adjective)

Associations

"Capricious" describes someone or something that changes their mind or behavior suddenly and unpredictably, without a clear reason.

• The weather is capricious in spring. One moment it's sunny, the next it's raining.
• A capricious boss might give praise one day and criticism the next, confusing employees.
• People say children can be capricious when they quickly switch from happy to upset. A well-known synonym is "fickle." The difference is that "capricious" often suggests sudden, impulsive changes, while "fickle" implies a more general and repeated change of loyalty or feelings.

Substitution

In place of "capricious," you can sometimes use:

• unpredictable (focuses on not being able to guess what will happen)
• impulsive (focuses on acting without thinking)
• fickle (focuses on changing feelings or loyalties) Each changes the meaning slightly. For example, "impulsive" is more about quick decisions, while "capricious" is about sudden changes in mood or behavior.

Deconstruction

The word "capricious" comes from the Italian "capriccio," meaning a sudden change or whim.

• "Capri-" relates to "capra," meaning goat, because goats were thought to jump and move unpredictably.
• The suffix "-ous" means "full of" or "having the quality of." So "capricious" means "full of sudden changes," like a goat's unpredictable jumps.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a person in your life who is capricious? How do you feel when they change their mind suddenly?
• How does being capricious affect decision-making at work or in school?
• Can weather be capricious? How does that influence your plans?