frivolity en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- frĭvŏlĭtē (General-American)
- /fɹɪˈvɒlɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /fɹɪˈvɑlɪti/ (General-American)
Etymology
Borrowed from French frivolité.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) frivolous act
-
(countable, uncountable) state of being frivolous
The sight of their own blood in the white snow may even have been what provided the jolt to transform them from playful children recklessly delighting in the surprise of an unseasonable snowfall into a whooping army of mutineers urged on by a tiny cadre of seditious underclassmen to turn their rambunctious frivolity into stunning mischief and, with an outburst of everything untamed in them (despite regular attendance at chapel), to tumble and roll and skid down the Hill through the deep snow and commence a stupendous night out.
2008, Philip Roth, Indignation:“Look at this festive assembly. All of us, gathered here together, chuckling at jokes and silliness.” [laughter] “And jackanapery.” [rim shots] “I guess there's only one thing left to say. What is this shit?” [rim shot] [laughter] “[laughs] Very good.” “You call yourselves vampires? Bah. This entire evening has been nothing but a pageant of insipid nonsense.” “[laughing] Yes.” “Worshipping at the altar of your own mediocre frivolity. A jester's hollow dance. And who is laughing?” “Yeah! [whoops] [grunts]” “Vampires are supposed to have blood orgies and slaughter circles. Gah! You have all gone soft. You even invited humans to this asinine affair.”
2023 August 24, Sarah Naftalis & Lauren Wells, “The Roast” (8:36 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 5, episode 8, spoken by Baron Afanas (Doug Jones):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| frivolities | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (31)
fr frivolité (frivolous act) · fi turhanpäiväisyys (state of being frivolous) · el ελαφρότητα (state of being frivolous) · fr frivolité (state of being frivolous) · bg лекомислена постъпка (frivolous act) · bg лекомислие (state of being frivolous) · eo frivoleco (state of being frivolous) · ca frivolitat (frivolous act) · el ελαφρότητα (frivolous act) · fi turhamaisuus (frivolous act) · fi kevytmielisyys (frivolous act) · cs lehkovážnost (state of being frivolous) · io frivoleso (state of being frivolous) · ru фриво́льность (frivolous act) · it frivolezza (frivolous act) · el κουφότητα (state of being frivolous) · es frivolidad (frivolous act) · cs lehkomyslnost (state of being frivolous) · nl frivoliteit (frivolous act) · tr hoppalık (frivolous act) · de Leichtfertigkeit (state of being frivolous) · eo frivolo (frivolous act) · ar خِفَّة (state of being frivolous) · ar رُعُونَة (state of being frivolous) · pt frivolidade (frivolous act) · la levitās (state of being frivolous) · de Frivolität (frivolous act) · tr hoppalık (state of being frivolous) · eo frivolo (state of being frivolous) · de Frivolität (state of being frivolous) · ar طَيْش (state of being frivolous)