appropriations
|ap-pro-pri-a-tion-s|
🇺🇸
/əˌproʊpriˈeɪʃənz/
🇬🇧
/əˌprəʊpriˈeɪʃənz/
(appropriation)
taking or allocating
Etymology
'appropriation' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'appropriāre' (from the prefix 'ad-' + 'proprius'), where 'ad-' meant 'to/toward' and 'proprius' meant 'one's own'.
'appropriation' changed from Medieval Latin 'appropriatio' and Old French/Middle English forms into the modern English 'appropriation'; the root sense of 'making something one's own' passed through these stages into English.
Initially, it meant 'making something one's own' (taking or assigning something as one's own), but over time it evolved to include the modern senses of 'allocation of funds' and specialized uses such as 'cultural appropriation' and 'artistic reuse'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act of taking something for one's own use, often without permission; seizure or claiming something as one's own
The appropriations of the historic artifacts by private collectors provoked public outcry.
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Noun 2
money that a legislature, government, or organization sets aside for a specific purpose; an allocated fund or budget item
Congress increased appropriations for disaster relief this year.
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Noun 3
the taking or adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture (often discussed critically as cultural appropriation)
Several appropriations of indigenous patterns in the fashion line sparked criticism.
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Last updated: 2025/09/27 17:56