Propriety
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /pɹəˈpɹaɪəti/
- Rhymes: -aɪɪti
Origin
Late Middle English propriete ("ownership"), from Anglo-Norman proprietie, Middle French proprieté, from Latin proprietÄs. Compare property.
Full definition of propriety
Noun
propriety
(plural proprieties)- (obsolete) The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality. 14th-19th c.
- (obsolete) A characteristic; an attribute. 14th-19th c.
- (now rare) A piece of land owned by someone; someone's property. from 15th c.
- (obsolete) More generally, something owned by someone; a possession. 15th-18th c.
- 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:I was fearful of giving You a very sensible Disgust, in making You seem the Propriety of one Man, when You know Yourself ordained for the Comfort and Refreshment of Multitudes.
- The fact of possessing something; ownership. from 15th c.
- (now rare) Correct language or pronunciation. from 16th c.
- Suitability, fitness; the quality of being appropriate. from 17th c.
- 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, I find such a pleasure, sir, in obeying your commands, that I take care to observe them without ever debating their propriety.
- 1850, Edward_Ralph_May,Now, if we may, with propriety, refer to the people one question, why may we not, with equal propriety, refer another?
- Correctness in behaviour and morals; good manners, seemliness. from 18th c.
- 1811, Jane Austen, Sense_and_Sensibility, :Elinor then ventured to doubt the propriety of her receiving such a present from a man so little, or at least so lately known to her.
- 2012, May 27, Nathan Rabin, TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block†(season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992), The neighbor is eventually able to sell her home despite Homer’s pants-less affronts to propriety and decency and Bart falls deeply and instantly for one of its new inhabitants, a tough but charming and funny tomboy girl named Laura (voiced by Sara Gilbert) with just the right combination of toughness and sweetness, granite and honey.