Word of the Day - 09/10/25
fickle
/'fɪkəl/(adj.): liable to sudden unpredictable change
The weather in the mountains is notoriously fickle, changing from sunshine to snow in minutes.
(adj.): marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments
Her fickle nature meant she often changed her mind about her friends and allegiances.
Word Origin
The word 'fickle' originates from Old English 'ficol', meaning 'deceitful' or 'tricky'. This in turn comes from 'fician', which meant 'to deceive' or 'to flatter'. The modern sense of 'changeable' or 'inconstant' for persons, affections, or fortune developed around the 13th century, possibly influenced by Old Norse 'fikenn' ('eager, greedy'), which shares the same Germanic root.