absolute vs proper

absolute

adj
  • Complete, utter, outright; unmitigated, not qualified or diminished in any way. 

  • Indicating an expression that is true for all real numbers, or of all values of the variable; unconditional. 

  • Relating to the absolute temperature scale (based on absolute zero); kelvin. 

  • Positive; not graded (not comparative or superlative). 

  • Free from imperfection, perfect, complete; especially, perfectly embodying a quality in its essential characteristics or to its highest degree. 

  • Pertaining to a grading system based on the knowledge of the individual and not on the comparative knowledge of the group of students. 

  • Having no direct object, like "kill" in "if looks could kill". 

  • Independent of arbitrary units of measurement, standards, or properties; not comparative or relative. 

  • Independent of (references to) other arts; expressing things (beauty, ideas, etc) only in one art. 

  • Free of restrictions, limitations, qualifications or conditions; unconditional. 

  • Pure, free from mixture or adulteration; unmixed. 

  • Indicating that a tenure or estate in land is not conditional or liable to terminate on (strictly) any occurrence or (sometimes contextually) certain kinds of occurrence. 

  • Fundamental, ultimate, intrinsic; not relative; independent of references or relations to other things or standards. 

  • Having reference to or derived in the simplest manner from the fundamental units of mass, time, and length. 

  • Unrestricted by laws, a constitution, or parliamentary or judicial or other checks; (legally) unlimited in power, especially if despotic. 

  • Syntactically connected to the rest of the sentence in an atypical manner, or not relating to or depending on it, like in the nominative absolute or genitive absolute, accusative absolute or ablative absolute. 

  • Expressing a relative term without a definite comparison, like "older" in "an older person should be treated with respect". 

  • Being or pertaining to an inflected verb that is not preceded by any number of particles or compounded with a preverb. 

  • Lacking a modified substantive, like "hungry" in "feed the hungry". 

  • Characteristic of an absolutist ruler: domineering, peremptory. 

  • Positive, certain; unquestionable; not in doubt. 

  • As measured using an absolute value. 

noun
  • A concentrated natural flower oil, used for perfumes; an alcoholic extract of a concrete. 

  • A realm which exists without reference to anything else; that which can be imagined purely by itself; absolute ego. 

  • In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity. 

  • That which exists (or has a certain property, nature, size, etc) independent of references to other standards or external conditions; that which is universally valid; that which is not relative, conditional, qualified or mitigated. 

  • The whole of reality; the totality to which everything is reduced; the unity of spirit and nature; God. 

proper

adj
  • Utter, complete. 

  • Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable. 

  • Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous. 

  • Eigen-; designating a function or value which is an eigenfunction or eigenvalue. 

  • Belonging to oneself or itself; own. 

  • Being strictly part of some other thing (not necessarily explicitly mentioned, but of definitional importance), and not being the thing itself. 

  • In the strict sense; within the strict definition or core (of a specified place, taxonomic order, idea, etc). 

  • Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are usually written with an initial capital letter. 

  • Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular. 

  • Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.) 

  • Attractive, elegant. 

  • In the very strictest sense of the word. 

  • Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures. 

adv
  • properly; thoroughly; completely. 

  • properly. 

noun
  • A part of the Christian liturgy that varies according to the date. 

How often have the words absolute and proper occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )