Whimsy
/ˈwɪmzi/noun
Playful, fanciful, or unpredictable behavior, ideas, or style.
Did you know?Whimsy is built on the same root as “whim,” and the word originally carried the eerie sense of a mind seized by a passing impulse rather than a gentle creative mood.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hweimaz?
“A proposed Germanic base related to sudden movement or turning, though the exact prehistory is uncertain”
Middle English
English
whim
“A sudden notion, caprice, or passing fancy”
17th Century
English
whim-wham
“A trinket, toy, or fanciful object”
17th–18th Century
English
whimsy
“A whimsical notion, caprice, or playful fancy”
Modern English
English
whimsy
“Playful or fanciful imagination or behavior”