extemporary

US: (ik stem′pə rer′ē)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•tem•po•rar•y  (ik stem′pə rer′ē), adj. 

1. extemporaneous; extempore.
2. [Obs.] sudden;
   unexpected.

• extempore + -ary 1600–10

ex•tem•po•rar•i•ly  (ik stem′pə râr′ə lē, -rer′-), adv.  ex•tem′po•rar′i•ness, n. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous /ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪniəs/   adj. 

1. spoken or performed without preparation;
   impromptu:
   an extemporaneous speech.

ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous•ly, adv. See -temp-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•tem•po•ra•ne•ous  (ik stem′pə rā′nē əs), adj. 

1. done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation; impromptu:
   an extemporaneous speech.
2. previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes:
   extemporaneous lectures.
3. speaking or performing with little or no advance preparation:
   extemporaneous actors.
4. made for the occasion, as a shelter.

• Late Latin extemporāneus on the spur of the moment. See extempore, -an, -eous
• 1650–60

ex•tem′po•ra′ne•ous•ly, adv. 
ex•tem′po•ra′ne•ous•ness, ex•tem•po•ra•ne•i•ty  (ik stem′pə rə nē′i tē), n.  Synonyms

• 1. 2.
  Extemporaneous (
  extempore),
  impromptu, improvised are used of expression given without preparation or only partial preparation.
  Extemporaneous and impromptu may both refer to speeches given without any preparation:
  an extemporaneous
  (impromptu) speech. Extemporaneous may also refer to a speech given from notes or an outline:
  extemporaneous lectures.
  Impromptu also refers to poems, songs, etc., delivered without preparation and at a moment's notice.
  Improvised is applied to something composed (recited, sung, acted), at least in part, as one goes along:
  an improvised piano accompaniment.

Antonyms

• 1. memorized.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

extemporaneous / ɪkˌstɛmpəˈreɪnɪəs/, extemporary / ɪkˈstɛmpərərɪ -prərɪ/ adjective

1. spoken, performed, etc, without planning or preparation; impromptu; extempore
2. done in a temporary manner; improvised

exˌtempoˈraneously, exˈtemporarily adverb

exˌtempoˈraneousness, exˈtemporariness noun