different between frivolous vs vapid

English

Etymology

From Latin fr?volus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f??v.?l.?s/
• Hyphenation: friv?o?lous

Adjective

frivolous (comparative more frivolous, superlative most frivolous)

1. Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner.
2. Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight.
3. (law, said of a lawsuit) Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.
   • 2005, Factcheck.org^[1]:

     One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.

Derived terms

• frivolent
• frivolously
• frivolousness

Related terms

• frivol
• frivolity

Translations

Further reading

• frivolous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• frivolous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vapidus (“flat, vapid”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?væp.?d/, /?ve?p.?d/

Adjective

vapid (comparative more vapid, superlative most vapid)

1. Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.
2. Lifeless, dull, or banal.
   • 1857, Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers, Volume the Second, page 30 ?ISBN

     Then there was a little more trite conversation between Mr. Arabin and Mr. Harding; trite, and hard, and vapid, and senseless.

3. Tasteless, bland, or insipid.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:boring, Thesaurus:wearisome, Thesaurus:soporific

Derived terms

• vapidity
• vapidly
• vapidness

Translations

Anagrams

• pavid

Estonian

Noun

vapid

1. nominative plural of vapp