proper

[ prop-er ]

adjective

1. adapted or appropriate to the purpose or circumstances; fit; suitable:

   the proper time to plant strawberries.

   Synonyms: suited

2. conforming to established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous:

   a very proper young man.

   Synonyms: appropriate, becoming, befitting, meet

3. fitting; right:

   It was only proper to bring a gift.

   Synonyms: appropriate, becoming, befitting, meet

4. strictly belonging or applicable:

   the proper place for a stove.

5. belonging or pertaining exclusively or distinctly to a person, thing, or group.

   Synonyms: peculiar, individual, special

6. strict; accurate:

   proper pronunciation.

   Synonyms: true, just, exact, precise

7. 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?

8. Grammar.
   1. (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.
   2. having the force or function of a proper name:

      a proper adjective.

9. normal or regular.
10. belonging to oneself or itself; own.
11. Chiefly British Informal. complete or thorough:

    a proper thrashing.

12. Ecclesiastical. used only on a particular day or festival:

    the proper introit.

13. Heraldry. (of a device) depicted in its natural colors:

    an oak tree proper.

14. Informal.
    1. excellent; capital; fine.
    2. good-looking or handsome.
15. Mathematics. (of a subset of a set) not equal to the whole set.
16. Archaic. of good character; respectable.

adverb

1. Informal. thoroughly; completely.

noun

1. Ecclesiastical. a special office or special parts of an office appointed for a particular day or time.

proper

/ ˈprɒpə /

adjective

1. usually prenominal appropriate or suited for some purpose

   in its proper place

2. correct in behaviour or conduct
3. excessively correct in conduct; vigorously moral
4. up to a required or regular standard
5. 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

6. postpositivefoll byto belonging to or characteristic of a person or thing
7. informal.
   prenominal (intensifier)

   I felt a proper fool

8. usually postpositive (of heraldic colours) considered correct for the natural colour of the object or emblem depicted

   three martlets proper

9. See strict
   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
10. archaic.
    pleasant or good

adverb

1. dialect.
   (intensifier)

   he's proper stupid

2. good and proper informal.
   good and proper thoroughly

   to get drunk good and proper

noun

1. See ordinary
   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

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English propre, from Old French, from Latin proprius “one's own”

Word History and Origins

Origin of proper¹

C13: via Old French from Latin prōprius special

Example Sentences

Self-isolation in combination with easily available testing could be an excellent way to tamp down both viruses—according to epidemiologists, proper testing is a big factor in helping us return to relative normality.

From Popular-Science

You know, being able to tell right away if there’s irregular activity and report it to the proper authorities, that’s really an important part of the role that we play.

From Freakonomics

Other vaccines bring in a unique, representative piece of the virus—a protein or a polysaccharide—that isn’t harmful, but still inspires the proper immune response.

From MIT Technology Review

They will also touch on new forecasting abilities with Google Analytics that have just been launched and proper measurement.

From Search Engine Land

Besides, proper implementation of VSM enables the following benefits.

From Search Engine Watch

We need to recover and grow the idea that the proper answer to bad speech is more and better speech.

From The Daily Beast

He could deliver a quick, effective speech, or hold a proper press conference.

From The Daily Beast

And so, he says he left prison without proper ID, just his release papers and the “dress-out gear” he was given by the state.

From The Daily Beast

But those incidents are due to mistakes and leaks, not proper fracking procedures.

From The Daily Beast

A portrait of him was done once in which the collar point was made to sit in its proper place.

From The Daily Beast

She herself had worn them in her youth, and they were the proper bonnets for "growing girls."

From Project Gutenberg

That it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?

From Project Gutenberg

And this summer it seemed to her that she never would be able to take proper care of her nestful of children.

From Project Gutenberg

Seen thus poverty became rather a blessing than a curse, or at least a dispensation prescribing the proper lot of man.

From Project Gutenberg

Not only are they required to do things in a proper orderly manner, but people have to treat them with due deference.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• appropriate
• convenient
• decent
• fitting
• good
• legitimate
• useful

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?

• properly (adverb)
• properness (noun)
• improper (adjective)

What are some synonyms for proper?

• suitable
• appropriate
• fitting
• polite
• mannerly
• correct
• accurate

What are some words that share a root or word element with proper?

• property
• appropriate
• propriety

What are some words that often get used in discussing proper?

• place
• time
• manners
• conduct
• factual
• noun
• adjective
• name

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.