Improper
/ɪmˈprɒp.ər/noun
Not appropriate, suitable, or correct; also, not conforming to standards of behavior or usage.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin in- + proprius, so its deepest sense is “not belonging to oneself,” which is why it can mean both socially inappropriate and technically irregular.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to assign, allot, or give over”
Latin
Latin
proprius
“one’s own, individual, special”
Latin
Latin
improprius
“not one’s own; unsuitable, unfit”
14th Century
Middle English
improper
“unsuitable, unfit, not belonging to the proper order”
Modern English
English
improper
“not appropriate, correct, or socially acceptable”
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