proprietynoun
uk/prəˈpraɪə.ti/us/prəˈpraɪə.t̬i/[ U ] formal correct moral behaviour or actions:
The director insisted that there was no question as to the propriety of how the funds were raised.
She was careful always to behave with propriety.
proprieties [ plural ] formal
the rules of polite social behaviour:
They'd invited us to dinner so we thought we'd better observe the proprieties and invite them back.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Morality and rules of behaviour
- antisocial
- bioethics
- book
- claim
- conscience
- decency
- double standard
- morality
- moralize
- morally
- norm
- object lesson
- social contract
- spirit
- the rights and wrongs idiom
- the ways of the world idiom
- two wrongs don't make a right idiom
- value
- voice
- wrong
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Manners & levels of formality