Meanings
improper1
adjectiveimproper (comparative more improper, superlative most improper)
comparative more improper · superlative most improper · alternative obsolete impropre
- Unsuitable to needs or circumstances; inappropriate; inapt.
- Not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners; indecent or immodest.
improper conduct
- Not according to facts; inaccurate or erroneous.
- Not consistent with established facts; incorrect.
- Not properly named; See, for example, improper fraction.
- obsoleteNot specific or appropriate to individuals; general; common.
Not to be adorned with any art but such improper ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and poetry.
1608, John Fletcher, The Faithful Shepherdess - mathematicsOf a complex random variable, correlated with its conjugate.
improper2
verbimproper (third-person singular simple present impropers, present participle impropering, simple past and past participle impropered)
present singular third person impropers · participle present impropering · participle past impropered · past impropered · alternative obsolete impropre
- obsoletetransitiveTo appropriate; to assign (something, to someone) as a possession or prerogative.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:improper.
1 more example
He would in like manner improper and inclose the sunbeams to comfort the rich and not the poor.
1565, John Jewel, letter to Thomas Harding
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
adjectivenot suitable or right or appropriate
Opposite
adjectivenot conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention
adjectivenot appropriate for a purpose or occasion
Similar
Also see
aberrantbaddecadentillicitimmoralimpoliteinappropriateincivilincorrectindecentindecorousinsensitiveirregularnoughtout of the wayout-of-the-wayrantipolereprobateroughunbecomingunciviluncivilizeduncomelyunconventionaluncouthunethicalunfitunhappyunlawfulunmannerlyunpolishedunrefinedunseemlyunsuitableuntowardunwarrantablewrong
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
improper · adjective
- Latinimproprius“not proper”
- Middle Frenchimpropre
- Englishimproper
From Middle French impropre, from Latin improprius (“not proper”), from in- + proprius (“proper”). By surface analysis, im- + proper.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →improper · verb
- Middle Englishempropren
- Englishimproper
From Middle English empropren, perhaps from an unattested Anglo-Norman variant enproprier of Anglo-Norman apropr(i)er, approprier, related to modern French approprier.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque ezegoki
- ezegokiunsuitable to needs or circumstances
Bulgarian неподходящ, неуместен
- неподходящ (nepodhodjašt)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- неуместен (neumesten)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- неприличен (nepriličen)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- непристоен (nepristoen)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- неточен (netočen)Not according to facts
- неправилен (nepravilen)Not according to facts
Catalan impropi, impropi
- impropiunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- impropinot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- impropiNot properly named
Danish upassende, uanstændig
- upassendenot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- uanstændignot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Dutch ongepast, ongeschikt
- ongepastunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- ongeschiktnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- misplaatstnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- onjuistNot according to facts
- foutiefNot according to facts
- inconsistentNot consistent with established facts
- foutiefNot consistent with established facts
- verkeerd omschrevenNot properly named
Finnish sopimaton, säädytön
- sopimatonunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- säädytönnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- sopimatonnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- vääräNot according to facts
French impropre, inapproprié
- impropreunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- inappropriéunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- inadaptéunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- improprenot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- inconvenantnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- grossiernot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- impropreNot properly named
German unpassend, unhöflich
- unpassendunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- unhöflichnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Greek ακατάλληλος, ανάρμοστος
- ακατάλληλος (akatállilos)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- ανάρμοστος (anármostos)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Hindi अनुचित, अशोभनीय
- अनुचित (anucit)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- अशोभनीय (aśobhnīya)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- अमर्यादित (amaryādit)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Irish aindílis
- aindílisnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Japanese そぐわない, 不適切な
- そぐわない (soguwanai)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- 不適切な (futekisetsu na)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- そぐわない (soguwanai)Not properly named
- 不適切な (futekisetsu na)Not properly named
Latin improprius, indecens
- impropriusunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- indecensnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Norwegian upassende, uegnet
- upassendeunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- uegnetunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- upassendenot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- uanstendignot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- uriktigNot according to facts
- feilaktigNot according to facts
- urettmessigNot according to facts
- uriktigNot consistent with established facts
- feilaktigNot properly named
Portuguese impróprio, impróprio
- imprópriounsuitable to needs or circumstances
- impróprionot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- indecentenot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- indecorosonot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- impróprioNot according to facts
- incorretoNot according to facts
- impróprioNot consistent with established facts
- incorretoNot consistent with established facts
- impróprioNot properly named
Romanian impropriu
- impropriuunsuitable to needs or circumstances
Russian неуме́стный, неподходя́щий
- неуме́стный (neuméstnyj)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- неподходя́щий (nepodxodjáščij)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- ненадлежа́щий (nenadležáščij)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- непристо́йный (nepristójnyj)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- неприли́чный (neprilíčnyj)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- некорре́ктный (nekorréktnyj)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- непра́вильный (neprávilʹnyj)Not according to facts
- оши́бочный (ošíbočnyj)Not according to facts
- ло́жный (lóžnyj)Not according to facts
- непра́вильный (neprávilʹnyj)Not consistent with established facts
Slovak nevhodný, nevhodný
- nevhodnýunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- nevhodnýnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- nesprávnyNot according to facts
- nesprávnyNot consistent with established facts
Spanish improprio, impropio
- improprionot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- impropionot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- indebidonot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Tagalog di-angkop, di-angkap
- di-angkopunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- di-angkapnot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Turkish uygunsuz, uygunsuz
- uygunsuzunsuitable to needs or circumstances
- uygunsuznot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- yakışıksıznot in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- yanlışNot according to facts
Ukrainian ненале́жний, невідпові́дний
- ненале́жний (nenaléžnyj)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- невідпові́дний (nevidpovídnyj)unsuitable to needs or circumstances
- непристо́йний (neprystójnyj)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
- некоре́ктний (nekoréktnyj)not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with improper
propercoppershopperhopperchopperstoppertopperpopperdroppercropperbopperwhopperproppermopperclopperJohnny Hopperploppertridecacopperwood chopper
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
improper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improper
MLA
“improper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improper. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “improper,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improper.
Source: improper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.