frivolous
/ˈfɹɪv.əl.əs/
Group 5Difficulty 1/3
Definitions
- (adjective)
- Not having any serious purpose or value; carefree GRE
- (adjective)
- Of a legal claim: lacking legal merit GRE
Example in Context
The judge dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous, noting that the plaintiff had failed to identify any cognizable harm.
Synonyms
sillytrivialpetty
Etymology
Meaning 'worthless' in Latin, it evolved to mean carefree and lacking seriousness.
- frivolus (Latin) — worthless
Memory Aid
🎈Sounds like “free-vowels”
Imagine a balloon that only sings silly songs — it’s a FRIVOLOUS FREE-VOWEL!
Visual Association
😜A person juggling rubber chickens at a party, completely carefree and silly.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “frivolous” mean on the GRE?
frivolous (adjective) means “Not having any serious purpose or value; carefree”. The judge dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous, noting that the plaintiff had failed to identify any cognizable harm.
How to remember “frivolous” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “frivolous” sounds like “free-vowels”. Imagine a balloon that only sings silly songs — it’s a FRIVOLOUS FREE-VOWEL!
What are synonyms for “frivolous”?
Common synonyms: silly, trivial, petty.