Wordwyrt

improvise

/ˈɪmpɹəˌvaɪz/IM-pruh-vyz
/ˈɪmpɹəˌvaɪz/IM-pruh-vyz

Meaningunforeseen

Common meaning: to make up on the spot

Journey through time

  1. Latinimprouisus‘unforeseen’source
  2. Italianmeaning shiftsunforeseen → to sing extempore versesimprovvisare‘to sing extempore verses’source
  3. Frenchimprovisersource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsto sing extempore verses → to make up on the spotimprovise‘to make up on the spot’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin improuisus ‘unforeseen’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app