proper definition
Overview
This page has 28 definitions of proper with English translations in 6 languages. Proper is an adjective, an adverb and noun. Examples of how to use proper in a sentence are shown. Also define these 52 related words and terms: suit, acceptable, purpose, circumstances, fit, suitable, established, standard, behavior, manners, correct, decorous, grammar, designate, particular, proper noun, initial, capital, belong, own, heraldry, coloration, mathematics, part, proper subset, physics, eigen-, eigenfunction, eigenvalue, attractive, elegant, ἀστεῖος, strict, sense, utter, complete, properly, near, close, pròxim, neighbouring, next, següent, cleanly, tidy, clean, neat, well-kept, developed, overweight, chubby, and propre.
English proper definition
Alternative forms
- propre (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.
Pronunciation
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈpɹɔp.ə/
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɹɒp.ə(ɹ)/
- (US) enPR: präpʹər, IPA(key): /ˈpɹɑ.pɚ/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɒpə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: prop‧er
Adjective
proper (comparative more proper, superlative most proper)
- (heading) Suitable.
- Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable. [13th c.]
- the proper time to plant potatoes
- 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], OCLC 960856019:
- The proper study of mankind is man.
- 2014 June 14, “It's a gas”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8891:
- One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination.
- Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous. [18th c.]
- a very proper young lady
- 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, OCLC 639762314, page 0108:
- This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. […] Indeed, all his features were in large mold, like the man himself, as though he had come from a day when skin garments made the proper garb of men.
Suit definition
A set of clothes to be worn together, now especially a man's matching jacket and trousers (also business suit or lounge suit), or a similar outfit for a woman. (1 of 13 suit definitions)
Acceptable definition
worthy, decent, sure of being accepted or received with at least moderate pleasure (1 of 2 acceptable definitions)
Circumstances definition
plural of circumstance
Suitable definition
Having sufficient or the required properties for a certain purpose or task; appropriate to a certain occasion.
Established definition
simple past tense and past participle of establish
Standard definition
Falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc. (1 of 7 standard definitions)
Behavior definition
Human conduct relative to social norms. (1 of 6 behavior definitions)
- Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable. [13th c.]
- (heading) Possessed, related.
- (grammar) Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are usually written with an initial capital letter. [14th c.]
- Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular. [14th c.]
- 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 54573970:, II.1.3:
- They have a proper saint almost for every peculiar infirmity: for poison, gouts, agues […].
- 1829, James Marsh, Preliminary Essay to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Aids to Reflection
- those higher and peculiar attributes […] which constitute our proper humanity
- (usually postpositive) In the strict sense; within the strict definition or core (of a specified place, taxonomic order, idea, etc).
- 1893, Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences:
- These are divided into two great families, the vipers proper (Viperidae) and the pit-vipers (Crotalidae).
- 1976, Eu-Yang Kwang, The political reconstruction of China, page 165:
- Siberia, though it stands outside the territorial confines of Russia proper, constitutes an essentially component part […] . Outer Mongolia, [so called] to distinguish it from Inner Mongolia, which lies nearer to China proper, revolted and declared its independence.
- 2004, Stress, the Brain and Depression, page 24:
- Hence, this border is still blurred, raising the question whether traumatic life events induce sadness/distress – which is self-evident – or depression proper and, secondly, whether sadness/distress is a precursor or pacemaker of depression.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:proper.
- 1893, Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences:
- (archaic) Belonging to oneself or itself; own. [14th c.]
- c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene ii]:
- a man so bold
That dares do justice on my proper son
- 1717, John Dryden, Meleager and Atalanta
- Now learn the difference, at your proper cost, / Betwixt true valour and an empty boast.
- 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 54573970:, II.4.1.ii:
- every country, and more than that, every private place, hath his proper remedies growing in it, particular almost to the domineering and most frequent maladies of it.
- 1946, Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy, I.20:
- Each animal has its proper pleasure, and the proper pleasure of man is connected with reason.
- (heraldry) Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures. [16th c.]
- (mathematics) Being strictly part of some other thing (not necessarily explicitly mentioned, but of definitional importance), and not being the thing itself. [20th c.]
- proper subset — proper ideal
- (mathematics, physics) Eigen-; designating a function or value which is an eigenfunction or eigenvalue. [20th c.]
Grammar definition
A system of rules and principles for speaking and writing a language. (1 of 9 grammar definitions)
Particular definition
Pertaining only to a part of something; partial. (1 of 10 particular definitions)
Proper Noun definition
A noun denoting a particular person, place, organization, ship, animal, event, or other individual entity
Initial definition
Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin. (1 of 2 initial definitions)
Capital definition
Already-produced durable goods available for use as a factor of production, such as steam shovels (equipment) and office buildings (structures). (1 of 8 capital definitions)
Own definition
Belonging to; possessed; proper to. Often marks a possessive determiner as reflexive, referring back to the subject of the clause or sentence. (1 of 4 own definitions)
Heraldry definition
The profession or art of devising, granting and blazoning coats of arms, tracing genealogies and ruling on questions of protocol or rank. (1 of 3 heraldry definitions)
Physics definition
The branch of science concerned with the study of the properties and interactions of space, time, matter and energy. (1 of 2 physics definitions)
Eigen- definition
Forms terms pertaining to or related to eigenvectors, eigenvalues; especially for naming mathematical objects which are not affected by a given transformation except for by scalar multiplication.
Eigenfunction definition
A functionsuch that, for a given linear operator , for some scalar (called an eigenvalue).
Eigenvalue definition
A scalar,, such that there exists a non-zero vector (a corresponding eigenvector) for which the image of under a given linear operator is equal to the image of under multiplication by ; i.e. .
- (heading) Accurate, strictly applied.
- Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.) [14th c.]
- Now that was a proper breakfast.
- (now regional) Attractive, elegant. [14th c.]
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts 7:
- The same tyme was Moses borne, and was a propper [transl. ἀστεῖος (asteîos)] childe in the sight of God, which was norisshed up in his fathers housse thre monethes.
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts 7:
- (often postpositive) In the very strictest sense of the word. [14th c.]
- 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, London: The Egoist Press, published October 1922, OCLC 2297483:
- Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head in some secluded spot outside the city proper […].
- (now colloquial) Utter, complete. [15th c.]
- When I realized I was wearing my shirt inside out, I felt a proper fool.
Attractive definition
Causing attraction; having the quality of attracting by inherent force. (1 of 3 attractive definitions)
- Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.) [14th c.]
Synonyms
- (fit, suitable): correct, right, apt, prudent, upright, sensible, fitting
- (correct, decorous): appropriate, decent, good, polite, right, well-mannered, upright
- (fitting, right): appropriate, just, honorable
- (complete, thorough): comprehensive, royal, sweeping, intensive
- (strictly, properly-speaking): strictly speaking, properly speaking, par excellence
- (true): full, complete
- (informal: utter): complete, right (informal), total, utter
Antonyms
- (fit, suitable): incorrect, wrong, bad, imprudent, insensible, improper
- (correct, decorous): inappropriate, indecent, bad, impolite, wrong, ill-mannered, unseemly
- (fitting, right): inappropriate, unjust, dishonorable
- (complete, thorough): partial, incomplete, superficial, slapdash
- (true): incomplete
Related terms
Translations
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See also
Adverb
proper (not comparable)
- (Britain, Australia, colloquial) properly; thoroughly; completely.
- 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed[1]:
- 'I thought it was the American Associated Press.' 'Oh, they are on the track, are they?' 'They to-day, and the Times yesterday. Oh, they are buzzing round proper.'
- 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 202:
- “Christmas Eve,” said Nabby Adams. “I used to pump the bloody organ for the carols, proper pissed usually.”
- 1957, Ray Lawler, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Sydney: Fontana Books, published 1974, page 32:
- The kid towelled him up proper.
- 1964, Saint Andrew Society (Glasgow, Scotland), The Scots magazine: Volume 82
- Don't you think you must have looked proper daft?
- (nonstandard, colloquial) properly.
- 2012, Soufside, Hello (song)
- When I meet a bad chick, know I gotta tell her hello
- talk real proper, but she straight up out the ghetto
Properly definition
in a proper manner, appropriately, suitably; correctly, justifiably (1 of 3 properly definitions)
- 2012, Soufside, Hello (song)
Noun
proper (plural propers)
Anagrams
Catalan proper definition
Etymology
Pronunciation
Adjective
proper (feminine propera, masculine plural propers, feminine plural properes)
- near, close
- Synonym: pròxim
Close definition
To remove a gap.- To obstruct (an opening).
- To move so that an opening is closed. (1 of 13 close definitions)
Pròxim definition
next (1 of 2 pròxim definitions)
- neighbouring
Neighbouring definition
Alternative spelling of neighboring
- next
- Synonym: següent
Next definition
Nearest in place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining. (1 of 5 next definitions)
Següent definition
following, next (in order)
Synonyms
Related terms
Further reading
- “proper” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Danish proper definition
Etymology
Borrowed from French propre (“clean, house-trained, own”), from Latin proprius (“own”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
proper
Inflection
Inflection of proper | |||
---|---|---|---|
Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
Common singular | proper | — | —2 |
Neuter singular | propert | — | —2 |
Plural | propre | — | —2 |
Definite attributive1 | propre | — | — |
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively. |
Derived terms
- properhed ("cleanliness", "tidiness")
References
- “proper” in Den Danske Ordbog
Dutch proper definition
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle Dutch proper, from Old French propre, from Latin proprius.
Adjective
proper (comparative properder, superlative properst)
- (chiefly Belgium) clean
Clean definition
Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances.- Not dirty. (1 of 21 clean definitions)
Inflection
Inflection of proper | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | proper | |||
inflected | propere | |||
comparative | properder | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | proper | properder | het properst het properste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | propere | properdere | properste |
n. sing. | proper | properder | properste | |
plural | propere | properdere | properste | |
definite | propere | properdere | properste | |
partitive | propers | properders | — |
Synonyms
- netjes, rein, zindelijk.
- (Netherlands) schoon.
German proper definition
Etymology
Ultimately from Old French propre, from Latin proprius. Probably borrowed in north-western dialects via Middle Dutch proper [13th c., sense: 15th c.], later generalized under the influence of modern French propre. The colloquial euphemism for “chubby” may, in part, be due to association with Proppen (whence also proppenvoll and Wonneproppen).
Pronunciation
Adjective
proper (comparative properer, superlative am propersten)
- (somewhat informal, dated) in good condition: clean; neat; well-kept; developed
- Bis vor Kurzem herrschte hier bittere Armut, aber jetzt ist es ein ganz properes Städtchen geworden.
- Until recently bitter poverty prevailed around here, but now it’s become rather a neat little town.
- (colloquial, euphemistic) overweight; chubby
- Die Linda war doch immer so’ne Schlanke, aber jetzt sieht sie ziemlich proper aus.
- Linda was always a slender one, but now she looks pretty chubby.
Overweight definition
Having a higher weight, especially body fat, than what is generally considered healthy for a given body type and height. (1 of 3 overweight definitions)
Chubby definition
Of a person: slightly overweight, somewhat fat, and hence plump, rounded, and soft. (1 of 2 chubby definitions)
Declension
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist proper | sie ist proper | es ist proper | sie sind proper | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | properer | propere | properes | propere |
genitive | properen | properer | properen | properer | |
dative | properem | properer | properem | properen | |
accusative | properen | propere | properes | propere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der propere | die propere | das propere | die properen |
genitive | des properen | der properen | des properen | der properen | |
dative | dem properen | der properen | dem properen | den properen | |
accusative | den properen | die propere | das propere | die properen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein properer | eine propere | ein properes | (keine) properen |
genitive | eines properen | einer properen | eines properen | (keiner) properen | |
dative | einem properen | einer properen | einem properen | (keinen) properen | |
accusative | einen properen | eine propere | ein properes | (keine) properen |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist properer | sie ist properer | es ist properer | sie sind properer | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | propererer | properere | propereres | properere |
genitive | propereren | propererer | propereren | propererer | |
dative | propererem | propererer | propererem | propereren | |
accusative | propereren | properere | propereres | properere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der properere | die properere | das properere | die propereren |
genitive | des propereren | der propereren | des propereren | der propereren | |
dative | dem propereren | der propereren | dem propereren | den propereren | |
accusative | den propereren | die properere | das properere | die propereren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein propererer | eine properere | ein propereres | (keine) propereren |
genitive | eines propereren | einer propereren | eines propereren | (keiner) propereren | |
dative | einem propereren | einer propereren | einem propereren | (keinen) propereren | |
accusative | einen propereren | eine properere | ein propereres | (keine) propereren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist am propersten | sie ist am propersten | es ist am propersten | sie sind am propersten | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | properster | properste | properstes | properste |
genitive | propersten | properster | propersten | properster | |
dative | properstem | properster | properstem | propersten | |
accusative | propersten | properste | properstes | properste | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der properste | die properste | das properste | die propersten |
genitive | des propersten | der propersten | des propersten | der propersten | |
dative | dem propersten | der propersten | dem propersten | den propersten | |
accusative | den propersten | die properste | das properste | die propersten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein properster | eine properste | ein properstes | (keine) propersten |
genitive | eines propersten | einer propersten | eines propersten | (keiner) propersten | |
dative | einem propersten | einer propersten | einem propersten | (keinen) propersten | |
accusative | einen propersten | eine properste | ein properstes | (keine) propersten |
Further reading
- “proper” in Duden online
Old French proper definition
Adjective
proper m (oblique and nominative feminine singular proper)
- (rare) Alternative form of propre
- Or a mai entendez Ki proper volunté amez, Set Pechez 70