Link Centre Dictionary

appropriate

app·rop·riate

UK/əˈpɹəʊ.pɹi.ɪt/ US/əˈpɹəʊ.pɹi.ət/ common uk
adjective (5) verb (2)

adjective

1.

suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc

  • “a book not appropriate for children”
  • “a funeral conducted the appropriate solemnity”
  • “it seems that an apology is appropriate”
Antonyms
Similar
2.

appropriate for achieving a particular end; implies a lack of concern for fairness

Synonyms
Similar
3.

meant or adapted for an occasion or use

  • “a tractor suitable (or fit) for heavy duty”
  • “not an appropriate (or fit) time for flippancy”
Synonyms
Similar
4.

suitable and fitting

  • “the tailored clothes were harmonious with her military bearing”
Synonyms
Similar
5.

being of striking appropriateness and pertinence

  • “the successful copywriter is a master of apposite and evocative verbal images”
  • “an apt reply”
Synonyms
Similar

verb

1.

give or assign a share of money or time to a particular person or cause

  • “I will earmark this money for your research”
Synonyms
2.

take possession of by force, as after an invasion

  • “the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants”
  • “The army seized the town”
  • “The militia captured the castle”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English appropriaten, from appropriat (“appropriated”) + -en, borrowed from Latin appropriātus, perfect passive participle of appropriō (“to make one's own”), from ad (“to”) + propriō (“to make one's own”), from proprius (“one's own, private”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix).

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.