frivolous

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfrɪvələs/ UK /ˈfrɪvələs/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
not serious or sensible; carelessly silly or trivial

The judge dismissed the frivolous lawsuit at once.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not serious or sensible;... trivial silly flippant superficial petty idle inane lighthearted

Opposites

serious grave sensible earnest important

Word family

Forms frivolishnessfrivolousness

Derived forms frivolouslyfrivolousnessfrivolity

Etymology

From Latin frivolus ('silly, empty, worthless, trifling'), perhaps related to friare ('to crumble, rub away').

frÄ«volus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# frivolous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈfrɪvələs
**IPA (UK):** ˈfrɪvələs

## Meanings
1. not serious or sensible; carelessly silly or trivial

## Examples
- The judge dismissed the frivolous lawsuit at once.

## Synonyms
- trivial
- silly
- flippant
- superficial
- petty
- idle
- inane
- lighthearted

## Antonyms
- serious
- grave
- sensible
- earnest
- important

## Derived Forms
- frivolously
- frivolousness
- frivolity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: frÄ«volus

## Etymology
From Latin frivolus ('silly, empty, worthless, trifling'), perhaps related to friare ('to crumble, rub away').

## AI Etymology
Frivolous comes from Latin frivolus ('silly, empty, worthless, trifling'), perhaps related to friare ('to crumble, rub away'). The historical trail runs through Latin frÄ«volus. In modern use it means not serious or sensible; carelessly silly or trivial. Derived formations include frivolously, frivolousness, frivolity.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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