apposite

adjective

ap·​po·​site ˈa-pə-zət How to pronounce apposite (audio)
: highly pertinent or appropriate : apt
apposite remarks
apposite examples
appositely adverb
appositeness noun

Did you know?

Apposite and opposite sound so much alike that you would expect them to have a common ancestor—and they do: the Latin verb pōnere, which means "to place, set.” The prefixes that we see in the pair, ap- and op-, specify the kind of placement. Apposite is from appōnere, meaning “to place near,” and opposite is from oppōnere, one meaning of which is "to place (over or against).” Opposite is of course the far more common word, but apposite is useful too and is, ahem, apposite in descriptions of what is very appropriate or suitable for something, as in “an apposite comment.”

Choose the Right Synonym for apposite

relevant, germane, material, pertinent, apposite, applicable, apropos mean relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand.

relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection.

found material relevant to her case

germane may additionally imply a fitness for or appropriateness to the situation or occasion.

a point not germane to the discussion

material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case.

facts material to the investigation

pertinent stresses a clear and decisive relevance.

a pertinent observation

apposite suggests a felicitous relevance.

add an apposite quotation to the definition

applicable suggests the fitness of bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular case.

the rule is not applicable in this case

apropos suggests being both relevant and opportune.

the quip was apropos

Examples of apposite in a Sentence

enriched his essay on patriotism with some very apposite quotations from famous people on the subject
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to Petrick, web3 is a particularly apposite medium for PUMA due to the strong correlation between sports and fashion and web3 culture. Stephanie Hirschmiller, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 Fulham provides an apposite example. New York Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Diño concurred and said that budgets in the Philippines for independent films have also gone up to $1 million and going international allows filmmakers to realize their cinematic visions with apposite budgets. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Oct. 2022 In one sense, the Italian humanists’ argument, as Mr. Hankins explains it, is both apposite and unassailable. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 There does, though, seem to be one apposite fact missing from this puzzle: the fact that people grow up. New York Times, 29 July 2022 Burns points to an apposite scene in the last episode, of an unspecified protest march across New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. David Bloom, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2021 There is something apposite and almost ridiculously perfect about the fact that Margaret Howell’s 50th anniversary has come around in 2020. Sarah Mower, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2020 In that regard, Mr. Obama seems an apposite speaker at Mandela’s centenary. Peter Godwin, WSJ, 13 July 2018

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin appositus "situated near, ready at hand, suitable, apt," from past participle of appōnere "to place near, put or fit on, contribute as an additional element," from ap- ap- entry 1 + pōnere "to place, set, put in position" — more at position entry 1

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of apposite was in 1621

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near apposite

Cite this Entry

“Apposite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apposite. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

apposite

adjective
ap·​po·​site ˈap-ə-zət How to pronounce apposite (audio)
: highly appropriate : pertinent, apt
apposite remarks
appositely adverb
appositeness noun

Legal Definition

apposite

adjective
ap·​po·​site ˈa-pə-zət How to pronounce apposite (audio)
: highly pertinent or appropriate

More from Merriam-Webster on apposite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!