caprice

Where does the word "caprice" come from? It comes from Italian capo riccio, passing through French before entering English (1660s).

Caprice’s story begins in Italian: capo riccio meant “a hedgehog's head, a sudden fright.” Possibly literally hedgehog head, describing hair standing on end from a sudden fright. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in French as caprice. Carried into French for a sudden, unpredictable change of mind. It reached English by 1660s as caprice. Settled as the English word for a sudden, impulsive change of mind. Today, caprice means a sudden, unpredictable change of mind or behavior.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1500s capo riccio "a hedgehog's head, a sudden fright", possibly literally hedgehog head, describing hair standing on end from a sudden fright.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1600s caprice "a sudden, unpredictable whim", carried into French for a sudden, unpredictable change of mind.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1660s caprice "a sudden, unpredictable change of mind or behavior", settled as the English word for a sudden, impulsive change of mind.