propriety
Americannoun
plural
proprieties-
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.
-
Obsolete. a property.
-
Obsolete. a peculiarity or characteristic of something.
noun
-
the quality or state of being appropriate or fitting
-
conformity to the prevailing standard of behaviour, speech, etc
-
(plural) the standards of behaviour considered correct by polite society
Related Words
See etiquette.
Other Word Forms
- nonpropriety noun
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
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.
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
Does it reflect a schism within the military over its propriety?
From Slate • Oct. 21, 2025
"Roblox is confident in its position and the propriety of its dealings in this matter and looks forward to responding in court."
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2025
The other side of the detective’s profile has him strolling between the starched propriety of upper-class society and the sooty underbelly, doing rich men’s dirty work.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025
Contrary to law and decent propriety, Miss Lavinia had been out for a gallop on the Common.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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.
