Madcap

By Deane Barker • • tags: definition •

Definition: behaving crazily, foolishly, or impulsively

“Mad cap” literally means “crazy head.” It dates to the 1500s, and used to literally mean a person suffering from mental illness.

Why I Looked It Up

I had heard the word for years, and knew what it meant in context, but was curious about the etymology.

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