What does frolics mean?
"Frolics" is the plural of "frolic", a word denoting playful, energetic, and lighthearted activity. Where a single frolic might be one burst of fun, the plural collects such moments together: the frolics of lambs in a spring field, the frolics of puppies in a garden, or the youthful frolics recalled fondly in a memoir. The word carries an unmistakably cheerful and affectionate connotation, and it tends to appear in informal or literary contexts rather than technical ones, often lending scenes a touch of innocence or nostalgia. Its origin reflects this temperament: English adopted it in the early seventeenth century from the Dutch adjective meaning "merry", making it a linguistic import whose very sound suggests good humour. Related forms include the singular noun and verb "frolic" and the adjective "frolicsome", used for people or creatures given to playfulness. Writers reach for "frolics" when they want to evoke spontaneous joy — the kind of unselfconscious fun that animals and children display and adults remember wistfully. It remains a vivid, evocative choice for describing merriment in action.
noun"Frolics" refers to playful, lighthearted activities or episodes of fun and merriment; it is the plural of "frolic", which can denote both such playfulness and a lively prank or escapade.
- Plural of frolic: instances of playful, lively behaviour or merriment.
"The spring lambs' frolics in the meadow delighted everyone who passed by."
"The puppies' frolics kept the children amused all afternoon."
"The memoir recounts the youthful frolics of the author's university days."
Since the headword here is already the plural form, note that the singular is "frolic"; the plural is used when referring to multiple episodes of play.
"Their winter frolics on the frozen pond became the stuff of family legend."
"Frolics" trotted into English from Dutch, where its source word simply meant "merry" — so every frolic carries a little imported cheerfulness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does frolics come from?
"Frolics" derives from "frolic", which entered English in the early seventeenth century, adapted from the Dutch adjective "vrolijk" (earlier "vroolijk"), meaning merry or glad. The Dutch term passed through Middle French influence before reaching England, where it was first used adjectivally before giving rise to the noun and verb. Its closest cognates are the Dutch "vrolijk" and the German "fröhlich", both meaning cheerful.
Related word forms
How frolics is actually used
"Frolics" has a warm, informal, often nostalgic tone; it is more at home in descriptive or literary writing than in formal prose. It typically describes animal or human play viewed with affection rather than solemn analysis.
Easily confused with frolics
"Frolic" is the singular base word (and can be a verb), while "frolics" is its plural noun form referring to multiple instances of play or merriment.