What does frivolousness mean?
Frivolousness is the noun describing the quality of being frivolous: a lack of seriousness where seriousness would be expected or appropriate. It applies to people's demeanour (a diplomat's frivolousness in negotiations), to speech and writing (the frivolousness of an essay), and notably to the law, where a 'frivolous' lawsuit has no genuine merit. The word is almost always critical, suggesting silliness, flippancy, or misplaced priorities, and it reads as more formal than its close cousin 'frivolity', which usually denotes lighthearted fun itself rather than the abstract failing. Derived from the Latin frivolus, meaning worthless or trifling, it entered English alongside 'frivolous' in early modern times. It is most at home in editorial, academic, and legal registers: critics deplore the frivolousness of popular culture, judges penalise the frivolousness of baseless claims, and commentators lament the frivolousness of political discourse. For writers seeking a precise term for inappropriate light-mindedness, frivolousness fills a niche no other word occupies quite so exactly.
nounThe quality of being frivolous; lack of seriousness, especially in behaviour, speech, or attitude toward important matters.
- The trait or quality of lacking seriousness; levity or triviality in conduct, remarks, or attitude.
- (Of legal actions) The quality of a claim or lawsuit having no serious merit or basis in fact.
"The judge dismissed the case for its sheer frivolousness."
"Her frivolousness at budget meetings made her colleagues doubt she was ready for a leadership role."
"Courts sanction attorneys whose filings display obvious frivolousness."
Rarely pluralised; as an abstract quality it is nearly always used as an uncountable mass noun. A plural would appear only in unusual philosophical or stylistic contexts enumerating distinct kinds of frivolousness.
"The critic catalogued the various frivolousnesses of modern entertainment."
Its Latin root, frivolus, meant 'worthless' or 'silly' — the same charge Roman law levelled at cases too trivial to bother with, which is exactly why we still call lawsuits 'frivolous' today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of frivolousness
Frivolousness derives from 'frivolous', borrowed from the Old French 'frivole', which came from the Latin 'frivolus', meaning 'worthless, trifling, or silly'. The adjective 'frivolous' entered English in the late fifteenth century, and the noun 'frivolousness' was formed from it with the native suffix '-ness'. Related forms include 'frivolity', drawn via Latin 'frivolitas', which carries much the same sense.
Related word forms
How frivolousness is actually used
Frivolousness is somewhat more formal and less common than its near-synonym 'frivolity'; it tends to appear in evaluative or critical contexts — reviews, judicial opinions, editorial commentary — rather than casual conversation. It carries a clearly negative connotation, implying an inappropriate lack of seriousness.
Easily confused with frivolousness
Frivolity refers to lighthearted fun or playful behaviour itself, while frivolousness denotes the abstract quality or trait of lacking seriousness.