Apropos

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Pronunciation: /ˌæp.ɹəˈpəʊ/

Definitions

1. Being apt or suitable to the matter at hand ; a phrase for adding a related comment in conversation
2. Relevant and well-timed in context ; an expression that signals a side remark or additional note
3. Appropriate and pertaining to the subject ; used as a segue to introduce a new but related point

Etymology: The phrase "à propos" in French is literally "to the purpose" or "on that subject," built from "à" (to) and "propos" (subject, purpose, talk). English borrowed the French phrase and then, over time, folded it into a single adjective and adverb, so that a French prepositional phrase became a word meaning "fitting" or "relevant." The borrowing is a straightforward case of French vocabulary entering English, and the English form kept the original sense of being on topic. The word sits alongside "appropriate," which looks similar and shares some of the same sense of fitness, but the two are not doublets. "Appropriate" comes from Latin "appropriare," whereas "apropos" came through French as a fixed phrase. The resemblance is a matter of overlapping meaning rather than a shared ancestor, which is why the two words feel so close in use yet trace back along different routes.

Synonyms: relevant, pertinent, appropriate, fitting, suitable

Antonyms: irrelevant, inappropriate, unrelated, impertinent, unsuitable