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Definition of propriety noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

propriety

noun
 
/prəˈpraɪəti/
 
/prəˈpraɪəti/
(formal)
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  1. [uncountable] moral and social behaviour that is considered to be correct and acceptable
    • They questioned the propriety of his conduct.
    opposite impropriety
  2. the proprieties
    [plural] the rules of correct behaviour synonym etiquette
    • They were careful to observe the proprieties.
    • The company had acted in accordance with all legal proprieties.
  3. Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘peculiarity, essential quality’): from Old French propriete, from Latin proprietas, from proprius ‘one's own, particular’.
See propriety in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee propriety in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
trait
noun
 
 
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