boutade

plural boutades

1. A sudden outbreak or outburst; a caprice, a whim.

   Thus we see that Wilde's witticisms contain a wealth of unsuspected meaning. Even his apparently nonsensical boutades are Late Romantic gestures.

   1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae

   1 more example

   [H]e suddenly broke out, "Well, then, as I understand you, what you recommend me is to marry Miss Bernardstone, and carry on an intrigue with Lady Vandeleur!" He knew perfectly that I recommended nothing of the sort, and he must have been very angry to indulge in this boutade.

   1884, Henry James, “The Path of Duty”, in The English Illustrated Magazine, 2(15): 240-256