/ kəˈpriːs; NAmE / noun ( formal )
1.
[ C ] a sudden change in attitude or behaviour for no obvious reason
SYN whim
2.
[ U ] the tendency to change your mind suddenly or behave unexpectedly
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from French , from Italian capriccio , literally head with the hair standing on end , hence horror , later a sudden start (influenced by capra goat, associated with frisky movement), from capo head + riccio hedgehog.