adj, adv, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   Something improvised.

Adjective

1. 1
   Carried out with no preparation; impromptu.
2. 2
   1833 January, “Pandemonic Revels”, in The Royal Lady’s Magazine, and Archives of the Court of St. James’s, number XXV, London, page 15
3. 3
   1833 January, “Pandemonic Revels”, in The Royal Lady’s Magazine, and Archives of the Court of St. James’s, number XXV, London, page 15: 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.; 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.

Adjective

1. 1
   with little or no preparation or forethought wordnet

Adverb

1. 1
   Without preparation; extemporaneously.

Adverb

1. 1
   without prior preparation wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

ad libad-libcadenzacasualcasualextemporaneous

Etymology

From Latin ex (“immediately after”) + tempore, ablative singular of tempus (“time", "opportunity", "occasion”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.