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properness

properness

6.5
Being correct and appropriate for a situation
  • noun
  • /ˈprɒpərnəs/
translation icon : correctitud
  • But also, speaking culturally, there's something about religious texts that are to be approached in many different ways ... so "properness

So we're still going to get tons of recognition and tons of of traffic just from even if it's just the moral properness of saying here's my source.

Examples

  • The properness of her attire made a positive impression on the interview panel.

  • So we're still going to get tons of recognition and tons of of traffic just from even if it's just the moral properness of saying here's my source.

  • She did glance down at her dress, though, checking it for neatness and for secretarial properness.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • But Wikipedia notes that "The detailed definition of the term is problematic and, to an extent, governed by convention"—so could MonkeyBoy be onto something under some alternative theory of nominal properness?

    Blog text (3)
  • His properness in formal situations makes him a respected figure in the office.

  • The students were reminded of the properness expected during the presentation.

Synonyms

propriety
vsproperness
  • Formal
27 7.4

Behavior that most people think is correct in a situation

is wider, covering general correctness and appropriateness beyond morals
appropriateness
vsproperness
9 4.1

The quality of being suitable for a situation

is more general, including both correctness and situational fit
suitability
vsproperness
8 3.2

How right something is for a particular use or situation

is broader, covering correctness and social fit as well as matching
correctness
vsproperness
8 3.5

A state of being accurate and matching facts or rules

emphasizes suitability and social fit as well as factual accuracy
rightness
vsproperness
6 5.1

A state of being morally good and fair in actions

is less moral and more about general appropriateness and correctness
adequacy
vsproperness
6 3.7

A state of being enough or suitable for a purpose

adds the sense of being correct and properly fitting for the context
aptness
vsproperness
1 6.1

A quality that makes something fit a certain situation

covers that fit but also general correctness and suitability
suitableness
vsproperness
5.6

How well something fits a particular use

is wider, also including moral or social correctness beyond mere match
fittingness
vsproperness
7.3

How right something is for a situation or purpose

places more weight on overall correctness and acceptability too
appositeness
vsproperness
  • Formal
8.6

The quality of being suitable for a situation or purpose

is broader, adding the idea of being correct or proper overall
meetness
vsproperness
  • Archaic
9.9

How suitable or proper something is for a certain situation

is similar but slightly more focused on correctness across situations
patness
vsproperness
9.4

Being exactly right and suitable for a situation

is more general, not limited to exact timing or neatness
convenance
vsproperness
  • Archaic
9.9

Being suitable or proper for a particular situation

is broader, including social and moral correctness as well
correctitude
vsproperness
9.9

Behavior that follows rules people expect

is broader, also applying to technical or situational correctness
rightfulness
vsproperness
7.1

Being morally and legally correct and fair

is broader, including simple situational fit beyond legal or moral right
adequateness
vsproperness
6.0

The quality of being good enough to meet a need

is more about correctness and appropriateness than mere sufficiency
satisfactoriness
vsproperness
7.7

Being good enough to meet a need or expectation

is more about being correct or apt for the situation itself
acceptableness
vsproperness
6.7

How suitable something is for a group or situation

is broader, covering both acceptability and exact correctness
decentness
vsproperness
3.7

A level of quality that is good enough for normal use

is stronger, focusing more on exact appropriateness and correctness

Antonyms

Rude behaviour that people think is not polite

How Appropriate

properness
6.5
suitability
8 3.2
adequacy
6 3.7

Surface Forms

properness singular
propernesses plural

Morphology

properness = proper + proper (transparent) = proper + ness

Productive nominalization from the adjective 'proper' using the suffix '-ness', yielding the straightforward meaning 'the quality of being proper'.

Etymology

The word properness comes from proper, which goes back to the Latin root proprius meaning 'one's own'. Think of something that 'fits' or belongs in a situation, like the right clothes for a meeting, so properness means being correct or suitable for that situation.