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Prosaic vs Propriety - What's the difference?

prosaic | propriety |

As an adjective prosaic

is pertaining to or having the characteristics of prose.

As a noun propriety is

(obsolete) the particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality.

prosaic

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to or having the characteristics of prose.
    • The tenor of Eliot's prosaic work differs greatly from that of his poetry.
  • (of writing or speaking) Straightforward; matter-of-fact; lacking the feeling or elegance of poetry.
    • I was simply making the prosaic point that we are running late.
  • (usually of writing or speaking but also figurative) Overly plain, simple or commonplace, to the point of being boring; humdrum; dull; unimaginative.
    • His account of the incident was so prosaic that I nodded off while reading it.
    She lived a prosaic life.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * poetic

    Related terms

    * prosaically * prosaicness * prose

    Anagrams

    *

    propriety

    English

    Noun

  • (obsolete) The particular character or essence of someone or something; individuality.
  • (obsolete) A characteristic; an attribute.
  • (obsolete) More generally, something owned by someone; a possession.
  • * 1723 , Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury :
    • I was fearful of giving You a very sensible Disgust, in making You'' seem the ''Propriety'' of ''one Man'', when You know Yourself ''ordained'' for the Comfort and Refreshment of ''Multitudes .
  • The fact of possessing something; ownership.
  • Suitability, fitness; the quality of being appropriate.
  • * 1773 ,
    • I find such a pleasure, sir, in obeying your commands, that I take care to observe them without ever debating their propriety .
  • * 1850 ,
    • Now, if we may, with propriety', refer to the people one question, why may we not, with equal ' propriety , refer another?
  • Correctness in behaviour and morals; good manners, seemliness.
  • * 1811 , (Jane Austen), :
    • Elinor then ventured to doubt the propriety of her receiving such a present from a man so little, or at least so lately known to her.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=The neighbor is eventually able to sell her home despite Homer’s pants-less affronts to propriety and decency and Bart falls deeply and instantly for one of its new inhabitants, a tough but charming and funny tomboy girl named Laura (voiced by Sara Gilbert) with just the right combination of toughness and sweetness, granite and honey.}}

    Related terms

    * proper

    References

    * "Propriety" at Dictionary.com