impropriate

1 of 2

transitive verb

im·​pro·​pri·​ate

ə̇mˈprōprēˌāt

-ed/-ing/-s

1

obsolete : appropriate

2

a

: to take over (a benefice or ecclesiastical property) and make one's own

the town which had impropriated the revenues of the church

—T. D. Atkinson

b

: to transfer (monastic property) to lay control or ownership

—distinguished from appropriate

impropriate

2 of 2

adjective

im·​pro·​pri·​ate

-ə̇t

: impropriated : lay as distinguished from clerical

Word History

Etymology

Transitive verb

Medieval Latin or New Latin impropriatus, past participle of impropriare, from Latin in- in- entry 2 + propriare to appropriate

Adjective

New Latin or Medieval Latin impropriatus

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!