(Latin: goat, resembling a goat)
2. An automobile with a folding top; a convertible coupe.
3. Etymology: French from cabriole, "leap of a goat, caper"; from cabrioler, caprioler, "to leap like a goat, to caper"; from Italian capriolare, from Latin capreolus, diminutive formed from caper, "he goat", whence capra, "she-goat".
2. Etymology: from Latin, diminutive of caper, "goat".
2. Of or pertaining to a special acid or its derivatives: Capric acid comes from animal fats and oils which are used in the manufacture of perfumes and fruit flavors.
The capric acid also occurs in small quantities in butter, coconut oil, etc.; which is united with glycerin.
Capric acids are colorless oils, or white crystalline solids, of an unpleasant odor similar to goats or sweat.
2. Characterized by or subject to impulsive and unpredictable behavior: Although we may enjoy a little unpredictability in life now and then, the term capricious is not ordinarily used in a positive sense; for example, a capricious wife can make a nervous wreck of her spouse.
3. Etymology: from Latin caput, "head" + riccio, "curled" or "frizzled".
The root of capricious is the noun caprice, which means "a whim' or "sudden change of mind" and caprice ultimately came from the Italian word capriccio, which also has the meaning of whim and at this point hedgehogs enter into the research of the etymology.
Hedgehogs are known for their spiky, spiny coats and the Italian capriccio is a combination of capo, "head" and riccio, "hedgehog", and its original meaning was "hedgehog head", a description of someone so frightened or astonished that the hair on his or her head "stood on end".
The transformation of the meaning of capriccio from "fright" to "whim" or "sudden impulse" seems to have involved another group of animals; namely, goats.
While the Italian word capra, "goat", is not directly related to capriccio, the similarity of the words and the skittish, flighty behavior of goats apparently gradually pushed capriccio away from "fright" and towards "whim". By the time "caprice" entered English in 1667, it meant simply "whim, erratic", or "notion".
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Constance capriciously purchased and exchanged five dresses in one week at the local department store.
Capricorn is classified as an earth sign, and its ruling planet is Saturn.2. In astronomy, a faint zodiacal constellation in the equatorial region of the southern hemisphere, lying between Aquarius and Sagittarius.
2. The artificial pollination of figs by means of the sting of insects; such as, by chalcid wasps.
3. Etymology: from Latin caprificatio, "ripening of figs" (by the stinging of gall-insects); from caprificatus, past participle of caprificare, "to ripen figs", from caprificus, "wild fig"; literally, "goat fig", from caper, "goat" and ficus, "fig".
2. Relating to, or belonging to the Caprifoliaceae, a family of north temperate, and boreal regions, shrubs or small trees including honeysuckle, elderberry, and guelder-rose.
3. Etymology: from New Latin caprifoliaceae, from caprifolium type genus, from Medieval Latin: "honeysuckle", from Latin caper, "goat" + folium, "leaf".
2. Etymology: from Latin caprigenus; caper, "goat" + gegnere "to produce".
2. Etymology: from Latin caper, "goat", + loquor, "to speak".