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proper

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈpɹɑpɝ// UK //pɹˈɒpɐ// prop·er Archaic Dialect General-service Informal

adj. correct, right, or suitable for a specific situation. It can also mean following the social rules for good behavior.

adj. conforming to established standards, social conventions, or formal requirements. In British English, it is also used as an intensifier to mean complete or thorough.


SIMPLE

Make sure you use the proper tools for this job.

CONTEXTUAL

Without the proper permits, the construction crew cannot begin work on the new office building.

COMPLEX

The diplomat emphasized that maintaining proper decorum was essential for the success of the international summit, regardless of the underlying political tensions.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies; when used after a noun (e.g., 'the city proper'), it refers to the central part of a place.

Pitfall

He didn't do it in a proper way.He didn't do it properly.Learners often use the adjective 'proper' where the adverb 'properly' is required to modify a verb.

Idioms1 entry

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