different between folly vs whimsy

English

Etymology

From Old French folie (“madness”), from the adjective fol (“mad, insane”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f?li/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f?li/
• Rhymes: -?li
• Hyphenation: fol?ly

Noun

folly (plural follies)

1. Foolishness that results from a lack of foresight or lack of practicality.

2. Thoughtless action resulting in tragic consequence.

3. (architecture) A fanciful building built for purely ornamental reasons.

Related terms

• fool
• foolery
• foolish

Translations

Further reading

• folly on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• folyl

English

Alternative forms

• whimsey

Etymology

Probably from whims +? -y. Related to whim-wham, whim.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?mzi/, /???mzi/

Noun

whimsy (usually uncountable, plural whimsies)

1. A quaint and fanciful idea; a whim; playfully odd behaviour.
2. An impulsive, illogical or capricious character.
3. (mining) A whim (capstan or vertical drum).
4. A jigsaw puzzle piece that has been cut into a recognizable shape, as if on a whim; often the shape is representative of the theme of the image used for the puzzle.

Translations

Verb

whimsy (third-person singular simple present whimsies, present participle whimsying, simple past and past participle whimsied)

1. (transitive) To fill with whimsies or whims; to make fantastic; to craze.