Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Silliness; trifling; nonsense.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun silliness, folly

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin desipientia, from desipere ‘to be foolish’.

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Examples

  • _ -- "We can assure our readers who delight in mere joyous desipience that they will find a rich harvest of laughter in the purely irresponsible outpourings of Professor Leacock's fancy."

    Winsome Winnie and other New Nonsense Novels Stephen Leacock 1906

  • The second book, published in 1871, shows Mr. Lear in the maturity of sweet desipience, and will perhaps remain the favorite volume of the four to grown-up readers.

    Nonsense Books Edward Lear 1850

Comments

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  • foolishness,silliness

    Fowles, The Magus

    November 8, 2007