What does frolicsome mean?
Frolicsome is an adjective describing a person, animal, or atmosphere that is lively, playful, and brimming with good-humoured energy. A frolicsome puppy dashes about without apparent purpose beyond delight; a frolicsome mood suggests laughter just beneath the surface. The word pairs the noun 'frolic' — a bout of playfulness — with the adjectival suffix '-some', meaning 'characterised by', so it names a settled tendency toward fun rather than a single burst of it. Its connotation is entirely positive and affectionate, though slightly literary: it tends to appear in prose descriptions of springtime, childhood, young animals, and carefree gatherings more often than in casual speech. Compared with the everyday 'playful', frolicsome feels warmer and a touch old-fashioned, evoking an almost storybook sense of merriment. It remains a precise and charming choice whenever a writer wants to convey buoyant, unselfconscious liveliness.
adjectiveGiven to or characterized by playful merriment; lively and full of fun in a light-hearted, sometimes boisterous way.
- Playful and merry in disposition, especially in a lively, high-spirited, or boisterous way.
- Marked by or suggestive of playful merriment (applied to scenes, atmospheres, or works of art rather than living creatures).
"The frolicsome puppy chased its tail across the lawn until it collapsed, panting happily."
"The frolicsome lambs leapt about the meadow as though spring itself had infected them."
"Her letters from university were full of frolicsome anecdotes that made her grandmother laugh aloud."
'Frolic' trotted into English from the Dutch 'vroolijk', which simply means merry — so calling someone frolicsome is essentially branding them full of imported Dutch joy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of frolicsome
Frolicsome is formed by attaching the suffix '-some' ('characterised by') to 'frolic', a word English borrowed in the sixteenth century from the Dutch 'vroolijk', meaning merry or glad. Dutch 'vroolijk' descends from Middle Dutch and is cognate with the German 'fröhlich', both expressing cheerfulness. The compound adjective arose in English around the seventeenth century and has kept its original sense of merry playfulness ever since.
Related word forms
How frolicsome is actually used
Frolicsome carries an unfailingly cheerful connotation and sits toward the literary end of the register; it appears more often in narrative prose than in everyday conversation. It is typically applied to animals, children, and youthful or carefree people, and can sound faintly old-fashioned or affectionate compared with the plainer 'playful'.
Easily confused with frolicsome
Frolic is a noun or verb denoting playful behaviour or romping, while frolicsome is an adjective describing a person or creature whose character is given to such playfulness.