Caprice is a sudden, unmotivated change of mind or behavior, often driven by impulse rather than reason. It can describe a whimsical or capricious act, decision, or mood, and is frequently used in artistic or literary contexts to denote wenig warning or pattern-breaking spontaneity. The term implies volatility and inconsistency in choices or tastes, sometimes with a playful or ironic tone.
- You might drop the unstressed first syllable to a quick schwa, saying /ˈpriːs/; fix by articulating /kə/ clearly before the stressed /ˈpriːs/. - You may compress the long /iː/ to a short /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ in rapid speech; fix with a deliberate elongated /iː/ and a crisp /s/. - Some speakers voice the final /s/ as /z/ in connected speech; practice voiceless /s/ and end with crisp sibilance. - In rapid mouth movement, the /k/ may become /t/ or /g/; ensure a brief aspirated stop and clean release.
- US: emphasize rhotic-free schwa onset, /kəˈpriːs/, keep /ə/ relaxed but not reduced to a near-ʌ. - UK: maintain non-rhoticity; the /r/ is not pronounced; ensure crisp /k/ and long /iː/; avoid intrusive linking between syllables. - AU: similar to UK, but some speakers may have a slightly more centralized /iː/; keep jaw level, produce a clean /s/ with steady breath. IPA references: /kəˈpriːs/ for all three. - Focus on vowel quality: long /iː/ is tense; lips spread slightly; avoid rounded lip posture that would soften the vowel.
"Her caprice led her to buy an expensive vintage bicycle on a whim."
"The protagonist’s caprice next shift turned the plot in an unexpected direction."
"He dismissed the plan on a caprice, surprising the team with his change of heart."
"The designer’s collection reflected a caprice in color and form, sparking bold contrasts."
Caprice originates from the French word caprice, meaning ‘a sudden fancy’ or ‘a whimsical caper,’ which itself derives from Italian capriccio, formed from capro, ‘goat,’ in the sense of a capricious, erratic movement; the root evolved through Latin caper into modern Romance languages. The earliest English attestations appear in the 17th century, borrowed to convey a sudden, impulsive mood or fancy, often with a light, whimsical or even satirical tone. Over time, caprice broadened from a personal whim to describe impulses in art, music, and fashion, where spontaneity or mood-driven shifts serve as a thematic or stylistic device. The concept frequently carries a negative connotation when act or decision appears irrational, while in creative circles it can imply refreshing deviation from norms. First known use in English traces to the mid-1600s, aligning with similar terms in French and Italian that emphasize the unpredictable steering of choices by momentary taste rather than reason.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Caprice" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Caprice"
-pse sounds
-aps sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Caprice is pronounced as kuh-PREESE in US and UK English, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: /kəˈpriːs/. The first syllable uses a schwa /ə/, then a long “ee” sound /iː/ in the second syllable, and ends with a voiceless /s/. When you say it, keep the /k/ aspirated, and avoid turning the final /s/ into a z-sound. Audio reference: you can hear /kəˈpriːs/ in standard dictionaries and YouTube pronunciation videos.
Two common mistakes: (1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable as CA-price; you should stress the second syllable: kuh-PRISE. (2) Mispronouncing the second vowel as a short /ɪ/ or /ə/; use a clear long /iː/ as in /priː/. Corrections: practice with /kəˈpriːs/ using a tight, fast /p/ release and seal the /s/ at the end; exaggerate the second syllable briefly to lock in the long vowel.
Across accents, the core pronunciation remains /kəˈpriːs/. In US, final /s/ is voiceless; in some British varieties, the quality of the /iː/ can be slightly tenser; in Australian English, the vowel may sound a touch more centralized but remains /iː/. The initial /k/ and vowel schwa are consistent, but non-rhotic accents may have a subtler /r/ influence in some connected speech.
The difficulty centers on the two-part structure: the unstressed schwa in the first syllable /kə/ and the long high front vowel /iː/ in the second, which must be held briefly before the final /s/. Many learners misplace stress or reduce the vowel, producing /ˈkæprɪs/ or /ˈkəpris/. Also, the long /iː/ can become a short /ɪ/ if your jaw relaxes too much; focus on maintaining a crisp, tense second syllable with a clean /s/.
In Caprice, the final 'e' is not pronounced as a separate vowel; it contributes to the /iː/ vowel in the second syllable through the spelling caprice. The 'e' at the end is part of the vowel pattern /priːs/ rather than a standalone /ə/ or /e/. So, you should pronounce /kəˈpriːs/ with a long /iː/ and an ending /s/, without an extra syllable.
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- Shadowing: listen to 2-3 native reads of caprice and mimic within 2-3 seconds of audio. - Minimal pairs: caprice vs caprices (plural), caprice vs crisper; not perfect but helps with vowel length and stess. - Rhythm practice: 2-3 beat pattern: unstressed /kə/ + stressed /ˈpriːs/; tap a quick beat to internalize the rhythm. - Stress practice: hold the second syllable longer than the first; aim for 1.0s for the long /iː/ in careful practice. - Recording: record yourself saying caprice in context sentences; compare with native audio to correct intonation and tempo.
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