proper
gb/pɹˈɑpɚ/ us/pɹˈɑpɚ/
A2
Anglais
~ 1500
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
socially or morally correct
Right or good according to social rules or morals.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] is proper
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'proper' with 'own' as in 'my proper room'; in modern English, 'proper' in this sense is rare outside British informal usage.
Synonymes
appropriate (Suitable for a particular situation; less focused on moral correctness.)
|
respectable (Seen as good or acceptable by society; may imply higher social status.)
Antonymes
improper (Not acceptable according to social or moral standards.)
|
inappropriate (Not suitable for a particular situation.)
Collocations
proper behavior
|proper conduct
|proper manners
|proper etiquette
Thèmes
society
|behavior
|manners
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- It is not proper to talk loudly in the library.
- She wore a proper dress for the formal dinner.
- He always behaves in a proper manner at work.
- The teacher reminded students about proper classroom behavior.
Exemples pédagogiques
- It is proper to say thank you.
- He used proper words in his speech.
- She wears proper clothes at school.
- We must have proper manners at the table.
adjective
A2
property
2
suitable or appropriate
Right or good for a specific purpose or situation.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] is proper for [purpose/situation]
Synonymes
suitable (Matches the needs of a situation; neutral tone.)
|
adequate (Enough to meet needs, though not necessarily ideal.)
Antonymes
unsuitable (Not right for the situation or use.)
|
inadequate (Not enough to meet the need.)
Collocations
proper tools
|proper care
|proper procedure
Thèmes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Make sure you have the proper equipment before starting the job.
- This medicine must be stored under proper conditions.
- The report was returned because it lacked the proper format.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I need the proper shoes for running.
- We used the proper tool to fix the door.
- She gave the plant proper water and light.
adjective
B1
property
3
real or genuine version
The real or main kind of something, not a copy or part of it.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is the proper [noun]
Synonymes
real (Existing or true; less formal and broader in meaning.)
|
genuine (Truly what it is claimed to be; often used for authenticity.)
Antonymes
fake (Not real; made to look like something else.)
|
partial (Only a part, not complete.)
Collocations
proper meal
|proper job
|proper holiday
Thèmes
emphasis
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- After weeks of snacks, I finally had a proper meal.
- He wants to find a proper job instead of temporary work.
- We haven't had a proper holiday in years.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I want a proper meal, not just bread.
- She has a proper job now.
- We will take a proper rest tomorrow.
adjective
formal
B2
relation
4
belonging exclusively to something
Belonging only to one person, thing, or place.
Schéma d’usage :
the [noun] proper
Synonymes
specific (Clearly defined and distinct, but not necessarily exclusive.)
|
peculiar (Belonging uniquely to; more common in formal writing.)
Antonymes
general (Not specific or exclusive to one thing.)
Collocations
the city proper
|the church proper
Thèmes
formal language
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The city proper has a population of 500,000.
- This rule applies to the school proper, not its satellite campuses.
- The castle proper is surrounded by gardens.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The town proper is very small.
- The park proper is inside the walls.
- The church proper is open on Sundays.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
proper
API
GB/pɹˈɑpɚ/
US/pɹˈɑpɚ/
Syllabes et accentuation
prop - er (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (prop)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: proper
Famille de mots
Core family
properly
adverb A2
Negative and opposite forms
improper
adjective B2
improperly
adverb B2
Advanced or less common
propriety
noun C1
Expressions
in its proper place
1/ˈɪn ˈɪts pɹˈɑpɚ plˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
in the right location
In the place where it should be kept.
Exemples
- After using the tools, put each one in its proper place.
- The painting was finally hung in its proper place on the wall.
in proper order
1/ˈɪn pɹˈɑpɚ ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
arranged correctly or neatly
Arranged in the right way or order.
Exemples
- Please put the books back in proper order.
- Everything in the office was in proper order after cleaning.
proper noun
1/pɹˈɑpɚ nˈaʊn/
fixed phrase
technical
name of specific person/place/thing
A noun that names a specific person, place, or thing and starts with a capital letter in English.
Exemples
- 'London' and 'Sarah' are examples of proper nouns.
- "Paris" is a proper noun because it is the name of one specific city.
- In English, days of the week are written as proper nouns.
- In English, we write proper nouns with a capital letter at the beginning.
- Names of months, such as "July", are also proper nouns.