Etymology

improper

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Today it means: Unsuitable to needs or circumstances; inappropriate; inapt. Full definition →

Middle French impropre ← Latin improprius
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improper · adjective1

  1. Latin · derived fromimproprius“not proper”
  2. Middle French · derived fromimpropre
  3. English todayimproper

From Middle French impropre, from Latin improprius (“not proper”), from in- + proprius (“proper”). By surface analysis, im- + proper.

improper · verb2

  1. Middle English · inherited fromempropren
  2. English todayimproper

From Middle English empropren, perhaps from an unattested Anglo-Norman variant enproprier of Anglo-Norman apropr(i)er, approprier, related to modern French approprier.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.