Meanings
comparative more extempore · superlative most extempore · alternative ex tempore
- Carried out with no preparation; impromptu.
Sheets, tablecloths, white gowns, and pocket-handkerchiefs were instantly in demand, and every one, as has been seen, entered, con amore, into the extempore entertainment of Pandemonic Revels.
1833 January, “Pandemonic Revels”, in The Royal Lady’s Magazine, and Archives of the Court of St. James’s, number XXV, London, page 15Synonyms: extemporaneous, extemporal, impromptu
comparative more extempore · superlative most extempore · alternative ex tempore
- Without preparation; extemporaneously.
to speak extempore
present singular third person extempores · participle present extemporing · participle past extempored · past extempored · alternative ex tempore
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveCarried out with no preparation; impromptu.
verbSynonym of extemporize.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivewith little or no preparation or forethought
adverbwithout prior preparation
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Univerbation of Latin ex tempore. First attested before 1556.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch onvoorbereid, geïmproviseerd
- onvoorbereidcarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- geïmproviseerdcarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- à l'improvistewithout preparation; extemporaneously
- voor de vuist wegwithout preparation; extemporaneously
- onvoorbereidwithout preparation; extemporaneously
- improvisatiesomething improvised
French extemporané, extemporanément
- extemporanécarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- extemporanémentwithout preparation; extemporaneously
Italian improvvisato
- improvvisatocarried out with no preparation; impromptu
Māori tene, mahia noa iho
- tenecarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- mahia noa ihocarried out with no preparation; impromptu
Polish improwizowany, impromptu
- improwizowanycarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- impromptucarried out with no preparation; impromptu
- impromptuwithout preparation; extemporaneously
- improwizacjasomething improvised
Russian импровизированный, импровизированно
- импровизированный (improvizirovannyj)carried out with no preparation; impromptu
- импровизированно (improvizirovanno)without preparation; extemporaneously
- импровиза́ция (improvizácija)something improvised
Cite this entry
extempore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extempore
“extempore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extempore. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “extempore,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extempore.
Source: extempore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.