Borrowed from French capricieux, from Italian capriccioso, from capriccio.

• IPA: /kəˈpɹɪʃəs/

capricious

1. Impulsive and unpredictable; determined by chance, impulse, or whim.

   Synonyms: arbitrary, whimsical, fickle

   Antonyms: conscientious, rigorous

   I almost died in a capricious winter storm.

   Stringent rulers are unlikely to act capriciously.

   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene iii], page 198 ↗:

     I am heere with thee, and thy Goats, as the moſt capricious Poet honeſt Ouid was among Gothes.

   • 1876 June, Henry James, Jr., chapter I, in The American, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, […], published 5 May 1877, →OCLC ↗, page 11 ↗:

     "Capricious?" And at this monsieur began to laugh. "Oh no, I'm not capricious. I am very faithful. I am very constant. Comprenez?"

• caprice

• French: capricieux
• German: kapriziös, launenhaft, unberechenbar, schrullig, launisch
• Italian: capriccioso
• Portuguese: impulsivo, imprevisível, caprichoso
• Russian: капризный
• Spanish: caprichoso, antojadizo