frivolous

friv·o·lous

Use frivolous in a sentence

Buying things you don't need is being frivolous.

adjective

The definition of frivolous is something that has little value or importance or is silly or trivial.

An example of frivolous is purchasing something you don't need.
An example of frivolous is a burglar suing a home owner for shooting them while breaking into their home.

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"frivolous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 11 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous>.

APA Style

frivolous. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous

frivolous

of little value or importance; trifling; trivial
not properly serious or sensible; silly and light-minded; giddy: a frivolous remark, a frivolous youth
having no basis in law because of the lack of sound legal arguments, facts, etc. or not brought to court in good faith

Origin of frivolous

Middle English from frivol ( from Old French frivole from Classical Latin frivolus, fragile, silly, akin to friare: see friable) + -ous

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MLA Style

"frivolous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 11 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous>.

APA Style

frivolous. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous

frivolous

adjective

Unworthy of serious attention; trivial: a frivolous novel.
Inappropriately silly: a frivolous purchase.

Origin of frivolous

Middle English probably from Latin frīvolus of little value probably from friāre to crumble

Related Forms:

friv′o·lous·ly
adverb

friv′o·lous·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"frivolous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 11 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous>.

APA Style

frivolous. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous

Adjective

(comparative more frivolous, superlative most frivolous)

Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner.
Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight.

Origin

From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"frivolous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 11 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous>.

APA Style

frivolous. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Frivolous

frivolous - Legal Definition

adj

Of a claim or assertion in litigation, that it lacks merit or substance; often a pejorative term, implying bad faith or negligence by the pleading party.