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proper adjective

American  

noun

Grammar.
  1. an adjective formed from a proper noun, as American from America.


Etymology

Origin of proper adjective

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the U.S., the reimbursement process is just, well, I can’t find the proper adjective.

From Forbes

Perhaps Jurassic is the proper adjective for a reptile this imposing.

From Time

However, perhaps "distinguished" is not the proper adjective, since her present companion possessed, stored inside his kit, among the personal treasures in his rough, pine-wood chamber a Distinguished Service Medal presented him by the United States Government and a Croix de Guerre, the gift of a grateful France.

From Project Gutenberg

After a while his wife had found the proper adjective for it: his eyes were haunted.

From Project Gutenberg

She always kept herself looking very fit, and was the first woman in our section of the world to wear her hair pompadour in front, running to the extreme psychic knot behind—she called it psychic, though I have since learned that the proper adjective is Psyche, indicating rather a levity of mind than anything else.

From Project Gutenberg