improvisationally
|im-pro-vi-sa-tion-al-ly|
🇺🇸
/ɪmˌprɑːvəˈzeɪʃənəl/
🇬🇧
/ɪmˌprɒvɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)nəl/
(improvisational)
spontaneous creation
Etymology
'improvisational' (and thus 'improvisationally') originates from French, specifically the word 'improviser', which itself comes from Latin 'improvisus' where 'in-' meant 'not' and 'provisus' meant 'foreseen or provided'.
'improvisus' (Latin) -> Old French 'improviser' -> English verb 'improvise' (from around the 17th century) -> adjective 'improvisational' -> adverb 'improvisationally'.
Initially related to the idea of something 'not foreseen', it evolved into the sense of creating or acting 'without prior preparation' and now commonly denotes spontaneous or unplanned creation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner that is improvised; done spontaneously or without prior planning or preparation.
The actor responded improvisationally when the prop failed, turning a mistake into a comic moment.
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Adverb 2
in a way characteristic of improvisation as an artistic approach—using spontaneous creation or flexible adaptation (often in music, theatre, or speech).
The jazz ensemble played improvisationally throughout the set, exploring melodies rather than following strict arrangements.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/09/20 18:53