madcap

English

Alternative forms

• mad-cap
• mad cap

Etymology

1580s, mad +‎ cap, with cap figuratively used for "head" here. Original literal sense "lunatic, crazy person", now used figuratively.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmædkæp/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

madcap (comparative more madcap, superlative most madcap)

1. Hasty, impulsive, or reckless; capricious.

   The film featured a madcap car chase that went right through a crowded café.

   • 1820 January 1, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Christmas Eve”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number V, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 389:

     The young Oxonian, on the contrary, had led out one of his maiden aunts, on whom the rogue played a thousand little knaveries with impunity; he was full of practical jokes, and his delight was to tease his aunts and cousins; yet, like all mad-cap youngsters, he was a universal favourite among the women.

   • 2020 March 25, Steve Roberts, “Parly-vous?”, in Rail, page 68:

     My madcap plan was to catch that 0456, then hang about – probably for the 0624.

Usage notes

Especially used for adventurous activities.

collocations with madcap

• madcap plan
• madcap idea
• madcap activity

Noun

madcap (plural madcaps)

1. An impulsive, hasty, capricious person.
2. (obsolete) An insane person, a lunatic.
   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here!

Translations

an impulsive, hasty, capricious person

• Bulgarian: лудетина (bg) f (ludetina)
• Russian: сумасбро́д (ru) (sumasbród)

An insane person, a lunatic

• Armenian: խենթ (hy) (xentʻ)
• Bulgarian: умопобъркан (bg) m (umopobǎrkan)

References

• “Off the top.”, The Word Detective, October 28, 2005
• The Shakespearian dictionary, Smith, Elder, & co., 1832, p. 189