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Impromptu most often describes things, such as speeches or gatherings, that are not prepared ahead of time but that instead happen spontaneously. An impromptu concert or photoshoot, for example, is conceived and executed in the moment. Impromptu was borrowed—spelling, meaning, and all—from French in the mid-18th century. The French had gotten the word from Latin, from the phrase in promptu, meaning “in readiness.” But the presence of prompt in there is no coincidence: both impromptu and prompt are ultimately derived from the Latin promere, meaning “to bring forth, take out.”
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Examples of impromptu in a Sentence
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Theater is ground zero for impromptu collaborative creativity.
—Jeffrey R. Wilson, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Jan. 2025
And despite his early bout of nerves, Grohl went on to become the most frequent SNL musical guest in the show's history, performing with Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures, as an impromptu drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and other special appearances.
—Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025
In the final hour of shopping on Wednesday afternoon, Grant Babbitt, 40, watched through sunglasses as his oldest son Avary, 11, received an impromptu skating lesson from the woman who had put their skateboards together.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2025
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“Impromptu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impromptu. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
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