different between saucy vs frivolous

English

Alternative forms

• sawcy (obsolete)

Etymology

From sauce +? -y .

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s??.s?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
• Rhymes: -??si
• Rhymes: -?si

Adjective

saucy (comparative saucier, superlative sauciest)

1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
2. Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a manner that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
   • ~1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, the Moor of Venice, Act I, scene I, line 143:

     If this be known to you, and your allowance/ When we have done you bold and saucy wrongs.

   She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.

3. Impudently bold; pert.
4. Sharp; pungent; piquant.
5. Mildly erotic.

   I enjoyed the dancing, but my wife found it a little too saucy.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:cheeky

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• sassy

References

Anagrams

• yucas

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.