improviser

to improvise

verb ahm-proh-vee-ZAY Rare

Origin: Italian improvvisare, from Latin improvisus (unforeseen)

Usage Note

Improviser is a regular -er verb. It is common in music, theatre, and everyday speech — improviser un discours (to give an impromptu speech). The reflexive s'improviser means 'to suddenly become' something without training, often used ironically: on ne s'improvise pas médecin ('you can't just become a doctor overnight').

Examples

"Il a dû improviser une réponse."

Natural Translation

He had to improvise an answer.

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