First Known Use: 1673
Dictionary
extemporaneous
adjective ex·tem·po·ra·ne·ous \(ˌ)ek-ˌstem-pə-ˈrā-nē-əs\
: made up or done without special preparation
Full Definition of EXTEMPORANEOUS
1
a (1) : composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment : impromptu <an extemporaneous comment> (2) : carefully prepared but delivered without notes or text b : skilled at or given to extemporaneous utterance c : happening suddenly and often unexpectedly and usually without clearly known causes or relationships <a great deal of criminal and delinquent behavior is…extemporaneous — W. C. Reckless>
2
: provided, made, or put to use as an expedient : makeshift <an extemporaneous shelter>
— ex·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ly adverb
— ex·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ness noun
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Origin of EXTEMPORANEOUS
Late Latin extemporaneus, from Latin ex tempore
Related to EXTEMPORANEOUS
- Synonyms
- ad hoc, ad-lib, down and dirty, extemporary, extempore, impromptu, improvisational, improvised, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, snap, spur-of-the-moment, unconsidered, unplanned, unpremeditated, unprepared, unrehearsed, unstudied
- Antonyms
- considered, planned, premeditated, premeditative, prepared, rehearsed
Rhymes with EXTEMPORANEOUS
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