Improperia

[ im-pro-peer-ee-uh ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. reproach ( def 8 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Improperia¹

1875–80; < Late Latin, plural of improperium, equivalent to Latin improper ( āre ) to blame (apparently an unlearned conflation of improbāre to express disapproval and improprius incorrect or improperus not hastening) + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

Passion of Christ from the Gospel of John, with responses by Byrd; Victoria’s “Improperia” from “Reproaches”; Nucius’s “Tenebrae Factae Sunt”; and Schein’s “O Domine, Jesu Christe”; with soloists; Louise Basbas, music director and organist. 212-666-9350, corpus-christi-nyc.org.

From New York Times

The history of the Passion, according to St. John, the music by Vittoria, was sung; then the Improperia of Palestrina, 135 during which the Pope and all the others, taking off their shoes, advance to the cross and adore it.

From Project Gutenberg

Victoria’s “Improperia” from “The Reproaches”; Schein’s “O Domine, Jesus Christe”; the Passion of Christ from the Gospel of John with choral responses by Byrd; Louise Basbas, music director and organist.

From New York Times

"Stabat Mater," 279, 280; "Improperia," 280; "Missa Papæ Marcelli," 280 Pandean pipes, 98 Pantomime, 43 Parallelism, 25 Passepied, 173 "Passions," 284 et seq.

From Project Gutenberg

Eleven years later, a year after he had written his immortal Improperia, we find him begging on account of the needs of his family to be given an increase of salary, or the acceptance of his resignation.

From Project Gutenberg