improprie

Impropie is a Latin adverb meaning improperly or incorrectly. It is derived from the adjective improprius, paired with the common adverbial suffix -e, and functions to negate the sense of propriety found in proprius and proprie. In Latin syntax, improprie is used to modify verbs or entire phrases to indicate misapplication, error, or lack of propriety in action, speech, or procedure.

In scholarly texts, improprie appears most often in discussions of Latin style, grammatical analysis, or ecclesiastical and legal Latin where authors comment on something performed in an improper manner. It is not a frequently encountered term in everyday Latin, and its usage tends to be conservative or formal, reflecting broader habits of liturgical, scholastic, or rhetorical Latin prose.

Linguistic notes: improprie contrasts with proprie or proprius, which denote something proper or correct. The adverbial form is part of a broader pattern in Latin where adjectives linked to propriety or suitability have corresponding adverbs that articulate the quality of being proper or improper. In modern English-language scholarship, the word appears mainly as a quoted or source-term rather than as part of active usage, and it is typically translated rather than retained in full.

See also: proprius, proprie, improprius, improper.