propriety

The story

1. Latin · derived fromproprietās
2. Middle French · derived fromproprieté
3. Anglo-Norman · derived frompropreté
4. Middle English · inherited fromproprietee
5. English todaypropriety

From late Middle English proprietee, propretee, propriete (“ownership”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman propreté, Middle French proprieté, from Latin proprietās. By surface analysis, prop(e)r + -iety. Doublet of property.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 15th–20th c. The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality.
• 15th–20th c. A characteristic; an attribute.
• from 16th c. A piece of land owned by someone; someone's property.
• 16th–19th c. More generally, something owned by someone; a possession.
• from 16th c. The fact of possessing something; ownership.
• from 17th c. Correct language or pronunciation.
• from 18th c. Suitability, fitness; the quality of being appropriate.
• from 18th c. Correctness in behaviour and morals; good manners, seemliness.