à propos

See also: apropos, àpropos, a propos, and apropos'

English

Adverb

à propos

1. Alternative form of apropos
   • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Romance and Reality. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 53:

     windows are favourite seats; and who knows how much may be effected in a tête-à-tête, by the crimson shade of the curtain flitting over a fair cheek à propos?

   • 1915, W.S. Maugham, Of Human Bondage, chapter 121:

     "You are an awfully good sort," he said to her once a propos of nothing at all.

Anagrams

• Sapporo

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a pʁɔ.po/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

à propos

1. opportunely, at the right time, just in time

   Synonyms: à point nommé, à pic

2. by the way

   Synonym: au fait

3. in connection, concerning, with regard, in reference

Derived terms

• mal à propos

Descendants

• → Dutch: à propos
• → English: in point (calque)
• → German: apropos
• → Ladino: apropo
• → Polish: à propos
• → Romanian: apropo
• → Swedish: apropå
• → Hebrew: אפרופו

Adjective

à propos (invariable)

1. opportune, advisable, fitting, appropriate, apropos

Related terms

• à propos de

Anagrams

• proposa
• Sapporo

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French à propos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.prɔˈpɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ
• Syllabification: à pro‧pos

Adjective

à propos (not comparable, no derived adverb)

1. apropos (of an appropriate or pertinent nature)

   Synonyms: adekwatny, odpowiedni, stosowny

   Symfonia została przyjęta entuzjastycznie i – co szczególnie ciekawe – jako utwór szalenie à propos. ― The symphony was received enthusiastically and – what is particularly interesting – as a very apropos piece.

Adverb

à propos (not comparable)

1. apropos, speaking of (incidentally)

   Synonyms: adekwatnie, odpowiednio, stosownie

   Prawda, że odezwałem się całkiem à propos? ― Didn't I say it quite apropos, huh?

Particle

à propos

1. apropos, by the way, speaking of

   Synonym: przy okazji

   À propos brzydkich wyrazów, niedawno wyszła książka Patricii Evans pod tytułem Toksyczne słowa. ― Oh, and speaking of ugly words, a book by Patricia Evans called Toxic Words has recently come out.

Preposition

à propos

1. apropos, speaking of (regarding or concerning) [with genitive ‘apropos what’]

   Synonyms: co do, co się tyczy

   Chciałem już zwrócić się do dziewczyny z jakąś uwagą à propos toaletowej sceny, natychmiast jednak ugryzłem się w język. ― I was about to address the girl with some remark apropos the toilet scene, but I immediately bit my tongue.

Further reading

• à propos in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• à propos in Polish dictionaries at PWN