Madcap

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈmædkæp/

Definitions

1. Characterized by wild, impulsive behavior that is amusingly chaotic and undertaken with reckless disregard for consequences
2. Marked by unrestrained, zany conduct that is entertainingly unpredictable and pursued without careful consideration
3. Displaying erratic and lively actions driven by spontaneous impulses without careful thought

Etymology: "Madcap" is built from two ordinary English words: "mad," meaning insane or wildly foolish, and "cap," an informal word for the head. Its original sense was therefore close to "crazy head," a person whose brain seemed to be running the show without restraint. The noun came first, and the adjective grew out of it when the noun was used to describe a thing or person before another noun, as in a madcap scheme. The picture of a head full of wild notions explains the meaning that stuck. The word describes someone who acts rashly, leaping into plans without weighing consequences, and the "head" in the compound supplies the sense of the impulse starting in the mind. Over time the emphasis moved from the head itself to the recklessness of the behaviour, so a madcap plan is simply one hatched in a hurry and carried out to excess.

Synonyms: foolhardy, wild, unconventional

Antonyms: sensible, prudent