Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged

Visual
ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Spell It!
Word Central

cavil

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

cavil

Main Entry:: cav·il
Pronunciation:: \ˈka-vəl\
Function:: verb
Inflected Form(s):: cav·iled or cav·illed; cav·il·ing or cav·il·ling \ˈka-və-liŋ, ˈkav-liŋ\
Etymology:: Latin cavillari to jest, cavil, from cavilla raillery; akin to Latin calvi to deceive — more at calumny
Date:: 1542

intransitive verb : to raise trivial and frivolous objection transitive verb : to raise trivial objections to

— cavil noun

— cav·il·er or cav·il·ler

Listen to the pronunciation of caviller

\ˈka-və-lər, ˈkav-lər\ noun

Learn more about "cavil" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "cavil" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols