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⇱ extemporaneous - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

extemporaneous

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪniəs/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(ik stem′pə rā′nē əs)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪniəs/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. spoken or performed without preparation;
    impromptu: an extemporaneous speech.
ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous•ly, adv. See -temp-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous  (ik stem′pə rā′nē əs),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation; impromptu:an extemporaneous speech.
  2. previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes:extemporaneous lectures.
  3. speaking or performing with little or no advance preparation:extemporaneous actors.
  4. made for the occasion, as a shelter.
  • Late Latin extemporāneus on the spur of the moment. See extempore, -an, -eous
  • 1650–60
ex•tem′po•ra′ne•ous•ly, adv. 
    1. 2. Extemporaneous (extempore), impromptu, improvised are used of expression given without preparation or only partial preparation. Extemporaneous and impromptu may both refer to speeches given without any preparation:an extemporaneous(impromptu) speech. Extemporaneous may also refer to a speech given from notes or an outline:extemporaneous lectures.Impromptu also refers to poems, songs, etc., delivered without preparation and at a moment's notice. Improvised is applied to something composed (recited, sung, acted), at least in part, as one goes along:an improvised piano accompaniment.
    1. memorized.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
extemporaneous /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs/, extemporary /ɪkˈstɛmpərərɪ; -prərɪ/ adj
  1. spoken, performed, etc, without planning or preparation; impromptu; extempore
  2. done in a temporary manner; improvised
exˌtempoˈraneously, exˈtemporarily adv exˌtempoˈraneousness, exˈtemporariness n
'extemporaneous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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