apropos

[ ap-ruh-poh ]

/ ˌæp rəˈpoʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR apropos ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

fitting; at the right time; to the purpose; opportunely.

Obsolete. by the way.

adjective

opportune; pertinent: apropos remarks.

Nearby words

aproctia, apron, apron piece, apron stage, apron strings, apropos, apropos of, aprosopia, aprotic, aprowl, après

Idioms

apropos of, with reference to; in respect or regard to: apropos of the preceding statement.

Origin of apropos

1660–70; < French à propos literally, to purpose < Latin ad prōpositum. See ad-, proposition

Can be confused

appropriate apropos expropriate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for apropos of

apropos

/ (ˌæprəˈpəʊ) /

adjective

appropriate; pertinent

adverb

appropriately or pertinently

by the way; incidentally

apropos of (preposition) with regard to; in respect of

Word Origin for apropos

C17: from French à propos to the purpose

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

Idioms and Phrases with apropos of

apropos of

Concerning, in connection with, as in Apropos of keeping in touch, I haven't heard from her in months. This idiom was a borrowing of the French à propos de (“to the purpose of”) in the 17th century. At first it was used without of and meant “fitting” or “opportune,” as in Their prompt arrival was very appropos. By the 1700s it was also being used with of, as in the current idiom, for “concerning” or “by way of.”