propriety

[pruh-prahy-i-tee]

noun

plural

proprieties 

1. conformity to established standards of good or proper behavior or manners.

   Synonyms: modesty, decency

2. appropriateness to the purpose or circumstances; suitability.

   Synonyms: seemliness, fitness, aptness

3. rightness or justness.

   Synonyms: correctness

4. the proprieties, the conventional standards of proper behavior; manners.

   to observe the proprieties.

5. Obsolete.,  a property.

6. Obsolete.,  a peculiarity or characteristic of something.

propriety

/ prəˈpraɪətɪ /

noun

1. the quality or state of being appropriate or fitting

2. conformity to the prevailing standard of behaviour, speech, etc

3. (plural) the standards of behaviour considered correct by polite society

Other Word Forms

• nonpropriety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of propriety¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of propriety¹

C15: from Old French propriété, from Latin proprietās a peculiarity, from proprius one's own

Synonym Study

See etiquette.

Example Sentences

When asked by ABC News’ Mary Bruce about the propriety of hosting the prince, the president blithely dismissed the concern.

Read more on Salon

The round usually began with a collective discomfort on the first tee, after Eisman turned up wearing something that violated the Wall Street golfer’s notion of propriety.

Read more on Literature

If there were any doubt left, the painful images of the White House literally being torn down have made it crystal clear: The president is not the least concerned about the pretense of propriety.

Read more on Salon

“Reasonable minds will disagree about the propriety of the President’s National Guard deployment in Portland,” Nelson wrote.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"There was a collective failure to exercise ethical judgment about the purpose of undercover policing and the propriety of reporting on family justice campaigns," he said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• correctness 
• decorum 
• legitimacy 
• morality 
• rectitude 
• respectability 
• suitability