proper
conforming to established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous: a very proper young man.
strictly belonging or applicable: the proper place for a stove.
belonging or pertaining exclusively or distinctly to a person, thing, or group.
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.
Informal. thoroughly; completely.
Ecclesiastical. a special office or special parts of an office appointed for a particular day or time.
Origin of proper
1Other words for proper
Other words from proper
- prop·er·ly, adverb
- prop·er·ness, noun
- un·prop·er, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for proper
/ (ˈprɒpə) /
(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
(postpositive foll by to) belonging to or characteristic of a person or thing
(prenominal) British informal (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 (def. 6)
archaic pleasant or good
British dialect (intensifier): he's proper stupid
good and proper informal thoroughly: to get drunk good and proper
the parts of the Mass that vary according to the particular day or feast on which the Mass is celebrated: Compare ordinary (def. 10)
Origin of proper
1Derived forms of proper
- properly, adverb
- properness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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