What does "propriety" mean?
The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality.
Propriety
noun
noun ·4 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality.
- Grammar: propriety is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: admissibility, advantage, advantageousness, advisability.
- Useful contrasts: obscenest, unseemlier, bawdiness.
- Usage evidence: The way tourists dress offends the local standard of propriety.
How to use "propriety"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "propriety" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "propriety" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "propriety" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "propriety" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "propriety" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "admissibility" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "propriety", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality. countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 2 correct or appropriate behavior wordnet
- 3 A characteristic; an attribute. countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 4 A piece of land owned by someone; someone's property. archaic, countable, uncountable
- 5 More generally, something owned by someone; a possession. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"I was fearful of giving You a very sensible Disgust, in making You seem the Propriety of one Man, when You know Yourself ordained for the Comfort and Refreshment of Multitudes."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The fact of possessing something; ownership. countable, uncountable
"This ſweet word, I will be your God, implies, 1. Propriety, that all that is in God ſhall be ours; his love ours, his Spirit ours, his mercy ours."
- 7 Correct language or pronunciation. archaic, countable, uncountable
"Thoſe who ought to be the guardians of propriety are often the perverters of it. Hence Accidence for Accidents, Prepoſtor for Prepoſitor and Conſtur for Conſtrue[…]"
- 8 Suitability, fitness; the quality of being appropriate. countable, uncountable
"I find such a pleasure, sir, in obeying your commands, that I take care to observe them without ever debating their propriety."
- 9 Correctness in behaviour and morals; good manners, seemliness. countable, in-plural, often, uncountable
"“Divine receptacle of excellence, let it not be deemed impertinent, or deviating from the rules of propriety, if I propound one queſtion which now labours in my breaſt; aſſuring me firſt, you will not let the ſceptre of true judgment depart from your right hand.”"
Example
"The way tourists dress offends the local standard of propriety."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "propriety"?
Common synonyms include: admissibility, advantage, advantageousness, advisability, amenities, applicability.
How do you use "propriety" in a sentence?
The way tourists dress offends the local standard of propriety.
Etymology
From late Middle English proprietee, propretee, propriete (“ownership”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman propreté, Middle French proprieté, from Latin proprietās. By surface analysis, prop(e)r + -iety. Doublet of property.