frivolity

/frɪˈvɒləti/ (bre, ipa) · /frɪˈvɑːləti/ (ame, ipa) · /fri-ˈvä-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)

frivolity — noun

  • frivolitysingular
  • frivolitiesplural

1. playful or silly behaviour that lacks any serious purpose, or small enjoyable th

1.名詞C1
釋義

playful or silly behaviour that lacks any serious purpose, or small enjoyable things that have no real importance — for example, dancing in the kitchen at midnight, or buying a pink hat you will never wear.

例句

After weeks of exam stress, Shirin welcomed a weekend of pure frivolity with her cousins.

a weekend of + frivolity (period of light-hearted fun)

The judge had no patience for the frivolity of the lawyers' jokes during the hearing.

the frivolity of + plural noun (silly behaviour in a serious setting)

同義詞
  • levity

    more formal; specifically light humour in serious settings

  • silliness

    more everyday; emphasises foolish quality without the 'unimportant treat' meaning

  • triviality

    stresses lack of importance more than playfulness; often negative

反義詞
  • seriousness

    direct opposite — focused, weighty manner

  • gravity

    more formal; weight of importance in tone or matter

文法句型

frivolity of + noun

a frivolity

用法筆記

Often used to criticise behaviour that the speaker considers inappropriate for the situation; can also be neutral or positive when describing welcome light relief. The countable plural 'frivolities' refers to specific small treats or trivial items, while the uncountable use refers to a general quality or mood.

常見錯誤

❌He bought a frivolity for his daughter.
✅He bought a small frivolity for his daughter.
💡the countable singular usually needs a modifier such as 'small', 'little', or 'harmless'; bare 'a frivolity' sounds odd.
❌The meeting was full of frivolities about the budget.
✅The meeting was full of frivolity about the budget.
💡when describing a general silly mood, use the uncountable form, not the plural.