PROPER

proper, right

(adjective) appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a person’s character, needs; “everything in its proper place”; “the right man for the job”; “she is not suitable for the position”

proper

(adjective) limited to the thing specified; “the city proper”; “his claim is connected with the deed proper”

proper

(adjective) marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness; “proper medical treatment”; “proper manners”

proper

(adjective) having all the qualities typical of the thing specified; “wanted a proper dinner, not just a snack”; “he finally has a proper job”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

proper (comparative more proper, superlative most proper)

(heading) Suitable.

Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable. [13th c.]

Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous. [18th c.]

(heading) Possessed, related.

(grammar) Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are usually written with an initial capital letter. [14th c.]

Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular. [14th c.]

(usually postpositive) In the strict sense; within the strict definition or core (of a specified place, taxonomic order, idea, etc).

(archaic) Belonging to oneself or itself; own. [14th c.]

(heraldry) Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures. [16th c.]

(mathematics) Being strictly part of some other thing (not necessarily explicitly mentioned, but of definitional importance), and not being the thing itself. [20th c.]

(mathematics, physics) Eigen-; designating a function or value which is an eigenfunction or eigenvalue. [20th c.]

(heading) Accurate, strictly applied.

Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.) [14th c.]

(now, regional) Attractive, elegant. [14th c.]

(often postpositive) In the very strictest sense of the word. [14th c.]

(now, colloquial) Utter, complete. [15th c.]

Synonyms

• (fit, suitable): correct, right, apt, prudent, upright, sensible, fitting

• (correct, decorous): appropriate, decent, good, polite, right, well-mannered, upright

• (fitting, right): appropriate, just, honorable

• (complete, thorough): comprehensive, royal, sweeping, intensive

• (strictly, properly-speaking): strictly speaking, properly speaking, par excellence

• (true): full, complete

• (informal: utter): complete, right (informal), total, utter

Antonyms

• (fit, suitable): incorrect, wrong, bad, imprudent, insensible, improper

• (correct, decorous): inappropriate, indecent, bad, impolite, wrong, ill-mannered, unseemly

• (fitting, right): inappropriate, unjust, dishonorable

• (complete, thorough): partial, incomplete, superficial, slapdash

• (true): incomplete

Adverb

proper (not comparable)

(UK, Australia, colloquial) properly; thoroughly; completely.

(nonstandard, colloquial) properly.

Noun

proper (plural propers)

(obsolete) Something set apart for a special use.

Anagrams

• per pro, propre

Proper noun

Proper (plural Propers)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Proper is the 11456^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 2750 individuals. Proper is most common among White (94.33%) individuals.

Anagrams

• per pro, propre

Source: Wiktionary

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Prop"er, a. Etym: [OE. propre, F. propre, fr. L. proprius. Cf. Appropriate.]

1. Belonging to one; one's own; individual. "His proper good" [i. e., his own possessions]. Chaucer. "My proper son." Shak. Now learn the difference, at your proper cost, Betwixt true valor and an empty boast. Dryden.

2. Belonging to the natural or essential constitution; peculiar; not common; particular; as, every animal has his proper instincts and appetites. Those high and peculiar attributes . . . which constitute our proper humanity. Coleridge.

3. Befitting one's nature, qualities, etc.; suitable in all respect; appropriate; right; fit; decent; as, water is the proper element for fish; a proper dress. The proper study of mankind is man. Pope. In Athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play, All proper to the spring, and sprightly May. Dryden.

4. Becoming in appearance; well formed; handsome. [Archaic] "Thou art a proper man." Chaucer. Moses . . . was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child. Heb. xi. 23.

5. Pertaining to one of a species, but not common to the whole; not appellative; -- opposed to common; as, a proper name; Dublin is the proper name of a city.

6. Rightly so called; strictly considered; as, Greece proper; the garden proper.

7. (Her.)

Definition: Represented in its natural color; -- said of any object used as a charge. In proper, individually; privately. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

– Proper flower or corolla (Bot.), one of the single florets, or corollets, in an aggregate or compound flower.

– Proper fraction (Arith.) a fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator.

– Proper nectary (Bot.), a nectary separate from the petals and other parts of the flower.

– Proper noun (Gram.), a name belonging to an individual, by which it is distinguished from others of the same class; -- opposed to Ant: common noun; as, John, Boston, America.

– Proper perianth or involucre (Bot.), that which incloses only a single flower.

– Proper receptacle (Bot.), a receptacle which supports only a single flower or fructification.

Prop"er, adv.

Definition: Properly; hence, to a great degree; very; as, proper good. [Colloq & Vulgar]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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