What does frivol mean?
Frivol is a verb meaning to spend time on trivial or unimportant matters, or to behave in a lighthearted, unserious way. It is a back-formation from the adjective "frivolous": where frivolous describes a person or thing lacking in seriousness, frivol captures the act itself — frittering away hours, joking when focus is expected, treating weighty affairs lightly. The word is relatively uncommon in everyday speech, appearing more frequently in British than American English, and it often carries a gently disapproving tone, as when a parent tells a child to stop frivoling and do their homework. Its most established pairing is "frivol away," applied to wasted time or money. Though rare, the word is useful precisely because it names a familiar behaviour — idle, playful diversion — in a single crisp syllable pair, and its connection to the broader family of frivolous and frivolity gives it a clear place in the vocabulary of seriousness and its absence.
verbTo spend time on trivial or frivolous matters; to behave in a lighthearted, silly, or unserious way.
- To spend time on trivial or unimportant things; to fritter time away.
- To behave in a light-hearted, playful, or unserious manner.
"Stop frivoling and get some work done before the deadline."
"She accused him of frivoling away the afternoon instead of finishing the report."
"The students were frivoling in the back of the classroom until the teacher cleared her throat."
"Frivol" wasn't borrowed from Latin — it was carved out backwards from "frivolous," making it one of English's neat back-formations.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of frivol
"Frivol" derives ultimately from the Latin frivolus, meaning worthless or trifling, a root that also gave English "frivolous" and "frivolity." Unlike those older borrowings, the verb "frivol" was formed much later as a back-formation — speakers trimmed the adjective "frivolous" down to create a matching verb. It is attested from around the late nineteenth century and has remained a comparatively minor word in English ever since.
Related word forms
How frivol is actually used
"Frivol" is a relatively rare and somewhat informal verb; many speakers express the idea with phrases like "mess around" or simply use the adjective "frivolous." It appears more often in British than American usage and can carry a mild disapproving tone when used about others' behaviour. The common phrase "frivol away" applies it to wasting time or resources.
Easily confused with frivol
"Frivol" is a verb describing the act of behaving trivially, while "frivolous" is an adjective describing something characterized by a lack of seriousness.