adj
impromptu
ihm-PROMPT-yoo
adj
1
Done without any preparation or planning; spontaneous.
"They held an impromptu celebration in the office when the news broke."
"His impromptu speech was more memorable than the prepared one."
How to Use Impromptu
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDone on the spot, without any advance planning.
Common mistake
Impromptu and improvised are very close in meaning; impromptu leans toward "unplanned event," while improvised leans toward "made up on the spot to fill a gap."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
impromptu speech
impromptu party
impromptu performance
Word Forms
impromptus plural
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They held an _____ celebration in the office when the news broke.
Etymology
Borrowed from French impromptu, ultimately from Latin in promptu ("in readiness").