frivolous en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.
Meanings
-
Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner; lacking a good reason for being, or for doing what one does; due to or moved by a caprice or whim.
trifling ((literary)
- Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight; trivial.
-
(said of a lawsuit) Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.
One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.
2005, Factcheck.orgThere is no easy definition for the phrase 'frivolous lawsuit,' but I imagine any claim for damages where the injuries are minimal or where the basis for the defendant's liability is hard to believe, might qualify as frivolous.
1996 August 31, Paul F. Waldner, President-Elect, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, “Viewpoints”, in Houston Chronicle, archived from the original on 16 Apr 2005:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most frivolous | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more frivolous | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
frivolously · frivolosity · frivolousity · nonfrivolous · unfrivolous · frivolent · frivolousness · ultrafrivolous
Relateds
Synonyms
null · piddly · piddling · inconsequential · two-bit · unimportant · miserable · vain · floccinaucinihilipilificatious · pointless · picayunish · for the birds · base · immaterial · idle · picayune · minor · simple · insignificant · ticky-tacky · worthless · inconsiderable · silly · slight · meager · like a fart in a windstorm · piteous · pitiful · paltry · pissass · ignorable · contemptible · negligible · pissant · unweighty · trivial · nondescript · trifling · tin-pot · wretched · frivolous · futile · nothingburger · petty · foolish · indifferent · mean
Translations (92)
fi typerä (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · de albern (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ru нева́жный (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · gd faoin (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · tr havai (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · nl wuft (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · de flatterhaft (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ms remeh-temeh (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ms semberono (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ms sambil lewa (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mk несерио́зен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · fi jonninjoutava (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · es frívolo (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · bg лекомислен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ka უმნიშვნელო (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · lv viegls (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ca tonto (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · hy չնչին (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · la frīvolus (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · fr bagatelle (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · fi mitätön (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · lv vieglprātīgs (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi hangahanga (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ru легкомысленный (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · fr frivole (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi ngākau pāpaku (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · fi idioottimainen (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · el ελαφρός (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · es trivial (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · tr önemsiz (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · mk незначи́телен (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · hy թեթևամիտ (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · bg повърхностен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · gd faoin (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · nn frivol (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · la frīvolus (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · mi ngahangaha (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · af ligsinnig (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · cmn 輕狂 /轻狂 (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · es banal (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ca frívol (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ka ფუქსავატი (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · pt frívolo (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ka დაუფიქრებელი (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · eo facilanima (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · pl błahy (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · bg несериозен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi ngākau pāpaku (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ru несерьезный (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · tr boş (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · arz جهلان (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · az dingiliş (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · el επιπόλαιος (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · hy դատարկ (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · az yüngül (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · pt frívolo (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · io frivola (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · nb frivol (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · fi naurettava (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · it frivolo (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · fi hölmö (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · sv frivol (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mk леко́мислен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · de leichtfertig (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · grc ῥᾴθυμος (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ka არასერიოზული (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · nl frivool (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi ngahangaha (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · eo vanta (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ru пустяковый (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · tr hoppa (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ca trivial (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · es frívolo (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · gl frívolo (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ca frívol (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · fr bricole (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · pl bezmyślny (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mk по́вршен (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · az yelbeyin (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi aweke (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ru незначи́тельный (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ru ветреный (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi hauarea (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · ars طايش (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · ru пове́рхностный (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · es nimio (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · tr salak (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mk не́важен (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · fi kevytmielinen (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · nl lichtzinnig (silly; especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner) · mi tihitihi (of little weight or importance; not worth notice) · el ελαφρός (of little weight or importance; not worth notice)