frivolousness
frivolousness Lexical Profile
frivolousness Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality or state of lacking seriousness, sense, or weight; carefree, superficial, or silly behavior.
"The committee criticized the sheer frivolousness of spending public funds on luxury office decorations."
In law, the quality of a claim, motion, or appeal having no sound legal basis or merit, often brought merely to harass, delay, or embarrass the opposing party.
"The judge dismissed the lawsuit and sanctioned the plaintiff's attorney due to the obvious frivolousness of the complaint."
Word Nuance & Usage
While "frivolousness" and "frivolity" are near-exact synonyms, "frivolity" is considerably more common in modern English and can also be used in the plural ("frivolities") to refer to specific silly acts or objects, whereas "frivolousness" is strictly an uncountable abstract noun.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in English from the adjective "frivolous" plus the native suffix "-ness." The root derives from the Latin "frivolus" (silly, empty, or trifling), originally related to "friare" (to crumble or rub away into small, worthless pieces).