proper
PRO-puh
Proper (adj) means Right, fitting, or appropriate for a given purpose or situation. Example: “Make sure you're wearing the proper safety gear before entering the site.”
adj
1
Right, fitting, or appropriate for a given purpose or situation.
"Make sure you're wearing the proper safety gear before entering the site."
"This isn't the proper way to hold a violin bow."
"Please fill in the proper form before you hand your application to the office."
2
Following accepted standards of behaviour or manners; correct and decorous.
"She was always polite and proper at formal dinners."
"He thought it wasn't proper to start eating before the host had sat down."
"Their grandmother insisted on proper manners at the table, even on ordinary days."
3
Belonging specifically and exclusively to a particular person or thing; used especially in "proper noun" for the name of a specific person, place, or thing.
""London" is a proper noun, while "city" is not."
"The problem lies within the system proper, not its surrounding parts."
"In the sentence, "Paris" is a proper noun and so it begins with a capital letter."
How to use proper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCorrect, suitable, or belonging specifically to something — depending on context it can mean "the right way to do it" or "the exact/core thing itself" (as in "the city proper").
Common mistake
When "proper" follows a noun ("the city proper"), it means the core or actual thing, not its surroundings — this placement trips learners up.
Common pairings
proper noun
proper channels
the city proper
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Word forms
- Plural
- propers
- Comparative
- more proper
- Superlative
- most proper
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Make sure you're wearing the _____ safety gear before entering the site.
Etymology
From Middle English propre, via Anglo-Norman and Old French propre, from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" or "particular to oneself."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for proper
See all rhymes for proper →Frequently asked questions
What does “proper” mean?
The word “proper” means right, fitting, or appropriate for a given purpose or situation. In plain terms, correct, suitable, or belonging specifically to something — depending on context it can mean "the right way to do it" or "the exact/core thing itself" (as in "the city proper").
How do you pronounce “proper”?
“Proper” is pronounced PRO-puh (/ˈpɹɑpɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “proper” in a sentence?
Here is “proper” used in a sentence: “Make sure you're wearing the proper safety gear before entering the site.”
What part of speech is “proper”?
“Proper” is an adjective.
Where does the word “proper” come from?
The word “proper” comes from Latin. From Middle English propre, via Anglo-Norman and Old French propre, from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" or "particular to oneself.".
Is “proper” a common word?
“Proper” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “proper” have?
“Proper” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: right, fitting, or appropriate for a given purpose or situation.
What is the difference between proper and correct?
"Correct" means free from error — the right answer or fact. "Proper" means suitable, fitting, or done in the accepted way for a situation. A correct spelling is simply accurate; proper behaviour follows expected standards. Something can be correct yet not proper, and proper yet not strictly a matter of right and wrong.
What are the different meanings of proper?
"Proper" means appropriate or fitting, as in proper attire; correct or accepted, as in the proper way; respectable or well-mannered, as in very proper; and genuine or complete, as in a proper meal. In grammar, a proper noun names a specific person or place. British slang also uses it to mean thorough.
Is proper formal or informal?
In the sense of correct or appropriate, "proper" is standard in all writing. Used to mean real or thorough — a proper cup of tea, a proper laugh — it is informal and especially common in British English. As a bare intensifier, as in "proper good," it is regional and casual.
What is the opposite of proper?
The opposite of proper is "improper," "unsuitable," or "inappropriate." Depending on the sense, antonyms include "wrong," "unfitting," and, for behaviour, "rude" or "unseemly." Where proper means correct and fitting, these words mean the reverse.
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