extemporaneous

[ ik-stem-puh-rey-nee-uhs ]

adjective

1. done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation; impromptu:

   an extemporaneous speech.

2. previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes:

   extemporaneous lectures.

3. speaking or performing with little or no advance preparation:

   extemporaneous actors.

4. made for the occasion, as a shelter.

extemporaneous

/ ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs; ɪkˈstɛmpərərɪ; -prərɪ /

adjective

1. spoken, performed, etc, without planning or preparation; impromptu; extempore
2. done in a temporary manner; improvised

Derived Forms

• exˌtempoˈraneousness, noun
• exˌtempoˈraneously, adverb

Other Words From

• ex·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ly adverb
• ex·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ness ex·tem·po·ra·ne·i·ty [ik-stem-p, uh, -r, uh, -, nee, -i-tee], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of extemporaneous¹

First recorded in 1650–60, from Late Latin extemporāneus “on the spur of the moment”; extempore, -an, -eous

Synonym Study

Extemporaneous, extempore, impromptu, improvised are used of expression given without preparation or only partial preparation. Extemporaneous and impromptu may both refer to speeches given without any preparation: an extemporaneous (impromptu) speech. Extemporaneous may also refer to a speech given from notes or an outline: extemporaneous lectures. Although extempore is an adjective with the very same meaning as extemporaneous, this word is most often used in its adverbial senses: She spoke extempore, and had the audience's rapt attention. Impromptu also refers to poems, songs, etc., delivered without preparation and at a moment's notice. Improvised is applied to something composed (recited, sung, acted), at least in part, as one goes along: an improvised piano accompaniment.

Example Sentences

Hochul, a Democrat, made the extemporaneous comment Monday while being interviewed at a large business conference in California to discuss expanding economic opportunities in artificial intelligence for low-income communities.

From Seattle Times

Like most of his comedy, the opening riff was extemporaneous.

From Salon

“We love y’all. We want you to get it right,” he said, in brash and seemingly extemporaneous remarks.

From New York Times

Although he set the text aside, his deviation was not extemporaneous in the truest since of the word.

From Seattle Times

It is true that she often burdens her sentences with more dependent clauses than they can bear, and verbatim transcripts of her extemporaneous remarks can sometimes be hard to follow.

From Washington Post