ENGLISH
REFERENCE

frivolous

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈfɹɪvəɫəs// UK //fɹˈɪvələs// friv·o·lous

adj. not having any serious purpose or value. You use this to describe things that are silly or a waste of time when you should be serious.

adj. lacking any serious purpose, value, or necessity. In legal contexts, refers to claims or actions brought without any reasonable basis in fact or law.


SIMPLE

She spent her money on frivolous things.

CONTEXTUAL

The judge dismissed the case immediately, calling it a frivolous lawsuit intended only to waste the court's time.

COMPLEX

While the initial complaint seemed frivolous to the public, the subsequent investigation revealed a systemic failure that warranted a serious legal review of the company's safety protocols.

Antonyms
Origin

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

Usage

Often used to modify nouns like 'lawsuit', 'claim', 'expense', or 'behavior'.

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