propriety
Americannoun
-
conformity to established standards of good or proper behavior or manners.
-
appropriateness to the purpose or circumstances; suitability.
- Synonyms:
- seemliness, fitness, aptness
-
rightness or justness.
- Synonyms:
- correctness
-
the proprieties, the conventional standards of proper behavior; manners.
to observe the proprieties.
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Obsolete. a property.
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Obsolete. a peculiarity or characteristic of something.
noun
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the quality or state of being appropriate or fitting
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conformity to the prevailing standard of behaviour, speech, etc
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(plural) the standards of behaviour considered correct by polite society
Related Words
See etiquette.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of propriety
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English propriete “ownership, something owned, one's own nature” (compare variant proprete property ), from Middle French propriété, from Latin proprietāt-, stem of proprietās “peculiarity, ownership,” equivalent to propri(us) proper + -etās, variant, after vowels, of -itās -ity
Explanation
Propriety is following what is socially acceptable in speech and behavior. Your little brother might offend your sense of propriety by burping loudly at the dinner table. Propriety is like the noun form of "proper" and "appropriate." It comes from the same root as the word property, in the sense of "a distinctive character or quality." The opposite of propriety is impropriety, meaning "rude or inappropriate." If you're someone who is overly concerned with propriety, your friends beg you to loosen up now and then.
Vocabulary lists containing propriety
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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.
Their propriety is debatable, but as a matter of historical precedent and law, they aren’t war crimes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
For the sake of propriety — Paley was one of the 20th century’s most powerful media paschas — his indiscretions were kept quiet.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
When asked by ABC News’ Mary Bruce about the propriety of hosting the prince, the president blithely dismissed the concern.
From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025
Anderson said the allegations relate to business propriety during the pandemic, before McMurdock became an MP last year.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2025
Anything he says Charlie will translate, and my dad’s sense of propriety can’t allow that to happen.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
