appropriate

[ adjective uh-proh-pree-it; verb uh-proh-pree-eyt ]
See synonyms for: appropriateappropriatedappropriatingappropriately on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion, etc.: an appropriate example;an appropriate dress.

  2. belonging to or peculiar to a person; proper: Each played his appropriate part.

verb (used with object),ap·pro·pri·at·ed, ap·pro·pri·at·ing.
  1. to set apart, authorize, or legislate for some specific purpose or use: The legislature appropriated funds for the university.

  2. to take to or for oneself; take possession of.

  1. to take without permission or consent; seize; expropriate: He appropriated the trust funds for himself.

  2. to steal, especially to commit petty theft.

Origin of appropriate

1
First recorded in 1515–25; from Late Latin appropriātus “made one's own” (past participle of appropriāre ), equivalent to Latin ap- ap-1 + propri(us) “one's own, special, particular” + -ātus -ate1

Other words for appropriate

Opposites for appropriate

Other words from appropriate

  • ap·pro·pri·ate·ly, adverb
  • ap·pro·pri·ate·ness, noun
  • ap·pro·pri·a·tive [uh-proh-pree-ey-tiv, -uh-tiv], /əˈproʊ priˌeɪ tɪv, -ə tɪv/, adjective
  • ap·pro·pri·a·tive·ness, noun
  • ap·pro·pri·a·tor, noun
  • non·ap·pro·pri·a·tive, adjective
  • qua·si-ap·pro·pri·ate, adjective
  • re·ap·pro·pri·ate, verb (used with object), re·ap·pro·pri·at·ed, re·ap·pro·pri·at·ing.
  • well-ap·pro·pri·at·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with appropriate

Words Nearby appropriate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use appropriate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for appropriate

appropriate

adjective(əˈprəʊprɪɪt)
  1. right or suitable; fitting

  2. rare particular; own: they had their appropriate methods

verb(əˈprəʊprɪˌeɪt) (tr)
  1. to take for one's own use, esp illegally or without permission

  2. to put aside (funds, etc) for a particular purpose or person

Origin of appropriate

1
C15: from Late Latin appropriāre to make one's own, from Latin proprius one's own; see proper

Derived forms of appropriate

  • appropriable, adjective
  • appropriately, adverb
  • appropriateness, noun
  • appropriative, adjective
  • appropriator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012