Meanings
comparative more malapropos · superlative most malapropos
- out of place; inappropriate
comparative more malapropos · superlative most malapropos
- out of place; inappropriately
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveof an inappropriate or incorrectly applied nature
adverbat an inconvenient time
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchmal à propos
- Englishmalapropos
From French mal à propos, from mal (“bad, badly”) and à propos (“appropriate, relevant”).
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Greek άκαιρος
- άκαιρος (ákairos)inappropriate
Cite this entry
malapropos. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/malapropos
“malapropos.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/malapropos. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “malapropos,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/malapropos.
Source: malapropos on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.