vagary — an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behavior
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behavior
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈveɪɡəri/
Example Sentences
- My cat's vagaries include sleeping in the sink one day and refusing to enter the bathroom the next.
- The vagaries of teenage mood swings kept her parents constantly guessing.
- He blamed the vagaries of his GPS for arriving three hours late to the wedding.
vagary
NOUN[/ˈveɪɡəri/]
an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behavior

A sudden vagary of the weather dumped thick snow directly onto the sunny beach.

VAG(wander) + ARY(place) — wandering off the safe path into the thorny bushes is a dangerous vagary.

By a sudden vagary, the bakery started selling raw fish instead of bread.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'vagari' meaning 'to wander' or 'to roam,' combined with the suffix '-y' to form a noun. The word entered English in the 16th century, initially referring to wandering or roaming, later evolving to mean an unexpected change or whim.
Breakdown
vag- (wander, from Latin vagari) + -ary (relating to, noun suffix) = vagary
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat's vagaries include sleeping in the sink one day and refusing to enter the bathroom the next.”
“The vagaries of teenage mood swings kept her parents constantly guessing.”
“He blamed the vagaries of his GPS for arriving three hours late to the wedding.”
“The vagaries of politics made it impossible to predict the election outcome.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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