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Proper

//ˈpɹɔp.ə// adj, adv, name, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Suitable.; Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable.

    "the proper time to plant potatoes"

  2. 2
    Suitable.; Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous.

    "a very proper young lady"

  3. 3
    Suitable.; Such that the preimage of every compact set is compact.
  4. 4
    Suitable.; Continuous, mapping closed sets to closed sets, and such that the preimage of every point is compact.
  5. 5
    Suitable.; Separated, of finite type, and universally closed.
Show 15 more definitions
  1. 6
    Suitable.; Such that unique morphism from the variety to k is proper (as above).
  2. 7
    Suitable.; Such that every closed ball is compact.
  3. 8
    Possessed, related.; Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are usually written with an initial capital letter.
  4. 9
    Possessed, related.; Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular.

    "They have a proper saint almost for every peculiar infirmity: for poison, gouts, agues […]."

  5. 10
    Possessed, related.; In the strict sense; within the strict definition or core (of a specified place, taxonomic order, idea, etc). postpositional, usually

    "These are divided into two great families, the vipers proper (Viperidae) and the pit-vipers (Crotalidae)."

  6. 11
    Possessed, related.; Belonging to oneself or itself; own.

    "proper motion — proper left — proper right"

  7. 12
    Possessed, related.; Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures.
  8. 13
    Possessed, related.; Being strictly part of some other thing (not necessarily explicitly mentioned, but of definitional importance), and not being the thing itself.

    "proper subset — proper ideal"

  9. 14
    Possessed, related.; Eigen-; designating a function or value which is an eigenfunction or eigenvalue.
  10. 15
    Accurate, strictly applied.; Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.)

    "Now that was a proper breakfast."

  11. 16
    Accurate, strictly applied.; Attractive, elegant. regional

    "The same tyme was Moses borne, and was a propper [translating ἀστεῖος (asteîos)] childe in the sight of God, which was norisshed up in his fathers housse thre monethes."

  12. 17
    Accurate, strictly applied.; In the very strictest sense of the word. often, postpositional

    "Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head in some secluded spot outside the city proper[…]."

  13. 18
    Accurate, strictly applied.; Including only the core areas while excluding surrounding suburbs
  14. 19
    Accurate, strictly applied.; Utter, complete. colloquial

    "When I realized I was wearing my shirt inside out, I felt a proper fool."

  15. 20
    Accurate, strictly applied.; Not being a set.
Adjective
  1. 1
    appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a person's character, needs wordnet
  2. 2
    limited to the thing specified wordnet
  3. 3
    marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness wordnet
  4. 4
    having all the qualities typical of the thing specified wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    properly; thoroughly; completely. Ireland, UK, colloquial, not-comparable

    "'I thought it was the American Associated Press.' 'Oh, they are on the track, are they?' 'They to-day, and the Times yesterday. Oh, they are buzzing round proper.'"

  2. 2
    properly. colloquial, nonstandard, not-comparable

    ""But it's not many of us as can make 'em proper.""

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    Something set apart for a special use. obsolete
  2. 2
    A part of the Christian liturgy that varies according to the date.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.

Etymology 2

From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.

Etymology 3

From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.

See also for "proper"

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