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improvisation

American  
[im-prov-uh-zey-shuhn, im-pruh-vuh-] / ɪmˌprɒv əˈzeɪ ʃən, ˌɪm prə və- /

noun

  1. the art or act of improvising, or of composing, uttering, executing, or arranging anything without previous preparation.

    Musical improvisation involves imagination and creativity.

  2. something improvised.

    The actor's improvisation in Act II was both unexpected and amazing.

Other Word Forms

  • improvisational adjective

Etymology

Origin of improvisation

First recorded in 1780–90; improvise + -ation

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.