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proper
[ prop-er ]
adjective
the proper time to plant strawberries.
Synonyms: suited
- conforming to established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous:
a very proper young man.
Synonyms: appropriate, becoming, befitting, meet
It was only proper to bring a gift.
Synonyms: appropriate, becoming, befitting, meet
- strictly belonging or applicable:
the proper place for a stove.
- belonging or pertaining exclusively or distinctly to a person, thing, or group.
Synonyms: peculiar, individual, special
proper pronunciation.
- in the strict sense of the word (usually used postpositively):
Shellfish do not belong to the fishes proper. Is the school within Boston proper or in the suburbs?
- Grammar.
- (of a name, noun, or adjective) designating a particular person or thing and written in English with an initial capital letter, as Joan, Chicago, Monday, American.
- having the force or function of a proper name:
a proper adjective.
- normal or regular.
- belonging to oneself or itself; own.
- Chiefly British Informal. complete or thorough:
a proper thrashing.
- Ecclesiastical. used only on a particular day or festival:
the proper introit.
- Heraldry. (of a device) depicted in its natural colors:
an oak tree proper.
- Informal.
- excellent; capital; fine.
- good-looking or handsome.
- Mathematics. (of a subset of a set) not equal to the whole set.
- Archaic. of good character; respectable.
adverb
- Informal. thoroughly; completely.
noun
- Ecclesiastical. a special office or special parts of an office appointed for a particular day or time.
proper
/ ˈprɒpə /
adjective
- usually prenominal appropriate or suited for some purpose
in its proper place
- correct in behaviour or conduct
- excessively correct in conduct; vigorously moral
- up to a required or regular standard
- immediately postpositive (of an object, quality, etc) referred to or named specifically so as to exclude anything not directly connected with it
his claim is connected with the deed proper
- postpositivefoll byto belonging to or characteristic of a person or thing
- informal.prenominal (intensifier)
I felt a proper fool
- usually postpositive (of heraldic colours) considered correct for the natural colour of the object or emblem depicted
three martlets proper
- maths logic (of a relation) distinguished from a weaker relation by excluding the case where the relata are identical. For example, every set is a subset of itself, but a proper subset must exclude at least one member of the containing set See also strict
- archaic.pleasant or good
adverb
- dialect.(intensifier)
he's proper stupid
- good and proper informal.thoroughly
to get drunk good and proper
noun
- the parts of the Mass that vary according to the particular day or feast on which the Mass is celebrated Compare ordinary
Derived Forms
- ˈproperly, adverb
- ˈproperness, noun
Other Words From
- prop·er·ly adverb
- prop·er·ness noun
- un·prop·er adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of proper1
Word History and Origins
Origin of proper1
Example Sentences
"Getting more parks and trees into cities is complicated work, and I realised that a simple metric could take the mystery out of it and set a proper benchmark based on evidence," he said.
Peterson explains it's important to address these comorbidities to ensure patients receive proper treatment.
The city says about 1,400 people are homeless in Fresno proper, and an estimated 4,500 people are homeless across Fresno and Madera counties, up from 2,500 in 2019.
The councillor, who has not responded to a request for comment from the BBC, also told residents that it was “very disappointing” that the decision had been “imposed” without a “proper consultation”.
This is a pressing concern in a super-aging society like Japan where -- while people live longer -- without proper muscle strength, quality of life can be drastically diminished.
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More About Proper
What is a basic definition of proper?
Proper is an adjective that describes something that is appropriate, adheres to polite behavior, or is correct. Proper is also used in grammar to refer to nouns that identify specific people, places, or things. The word proper has additional senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun.
Something is said to be proper if it is suitable or appropriate. For example, spring and summer are the proper seasons for growing plants because the weather is often warm and sunny, with frequent rain.
- Real-life examples: A parking lot is a proper place to leave your car. The South Pole is not the proper place to wear shorts. April Fool’s Day is a proper time to play jokes on people.
- Used in a sentence: She didn’t think the base of an active volcano was a proper spot for her summer home.
Proper also describes something that conforms to good manners or to behavior that is considered acceptable by a society. The words rude and impolite are opposites of this sense of proper.
- Real-life examples: It is not considered proper to laugh during a funeral. A bathing suit is not the proper outfit to wear to a banquet. It is not proper (or smart) to insult royalty.
- Used in a sentence: Fast food was not the proper meal to serve at the fancy dinner party.
Proper can also mean that something is correct or accurate.
- Real-life examples: Eating with your mouth is not the proper way to eat something (and often leads to food falling out of your mouth). Your English teacher will insist that you use proper spelling and punctuation in your writing. In the United States, the right lane of the road is the proper one to drive on.
- Used in a sentence: I can never remember the proper spelling of the word “definitely.”
In English grammar, the word proper is used to refer to nouns and other words that identify particular people, places, or things. Proper words are almost always capitalized in English. Nouns that are not proper nouns are called common nouns and refer to any of a class of entities rather than a specific one, such as cat, tree, or ocean.
- Real-life examples: Albert Einstein is the proper noun referring to a famous German physicist. New York City is the proper noun referring to a city in the United States. Portuguese is the proper adjective that describes someone or something from the country of Portugal.
- Used in a sentence: Some proper nouns, like “iPad,” don’t follow typical capitalization rules.
Where does proper come from?
The first records of proper come from around 1250. It ultimately comes from the Latin word proprius, meaning “special.”
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to proper?
What are some synonyms for proper?
What are some words that share a root or word element with proper?
What are some words that often get used in discussing proper?
How is proper used in real life?
Proper is a common word that most often refers to something being appropriate or correct.
Nothing pleases me more than people going out of their way to return their shopping cart to the proper place. START THE REVOLUTION #ReturnTheCart
— Josh Macuga (@JoshMacuga) June 27, 2018
At this time I want to give credit to the men and women in law enforcement who have been operating accordingly despite limited resources, have shown proper conduct during the State of Public Emergency in St. James. They are doing the job that they have sworn to do.
— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) January 30, 2018
My favorite thing about the #MarchforScience is how all the signs have proper spelling and grammar.
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) April 22, 2017
Try using proper!
True or False?
A grassy park is a proper place to have a relaxing picnic.
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