impromptu

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Adverb
• HYPHEN: im=promp=tu

CIDE DICTIONARY

impromptu, adv.  [F. impromptu, fr. L. in promptu in readiness, at hand; in in + promptus visibility, readiness, from promptus visible, ready. See Prompt.].

 Offhand; without previous study; extemporaneous; extempore; as, an impromptu verse.  [1913 Webster]

impromptu, n. 

•  Something made or done offhand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition, address, or remark.  [1913 Webster]
•  A piece composed or played at first thought; a composition in the style of an extempore piece.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

impromptu, adj., adv., & n.
--adj. & adv. extempore, unrehearsed.
--n.
1 an extempore performance or speech.
2 a short piece of usu. solo instrumental music, often songlike.

Etymology

F f. L in promptu in readiness: see PROMPT

THESAURUS

impromptu

ad lib, ad libitum, ad-lib, ad-libbing, arrangement, at short notice, at sight, by ear, cadenza, caught napping, caught off balance, caught short, extemporaneous, extemporaneously, extemporaneousness, extemporarily, extemporariness, extemporary, extempore, extemporization, extemporized, flourish, haphazard, hasty, hot lick, improvisation, improvisatorial, improvise, improvised, improvision, improviso, interpolation, jury-rig, jury-rigged, lick, makeshift, measure, off the cuff, off the hip, off-the-cuff, offhand, on sight, out of hand, playing by ear, precipitate, pro tempore, quick, riff, rough-and-ready, snap, stopgap, surprised, taken aback, taken by surprise, taken unawares, temporary arrangement, temporary measure, tripped up, unarranged, unbegun, unconcocted, uncontrived, undeliberated, undevised, unhatched, unmade, unmanufactured, unorganized, unplanned, unpremeditated, unprepared, unprimed, unready, unrehearsed, unstudied, vamp

ROGET THESAURUS

impromptu

Impulse

N impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit, impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit.