What does extemporise mean?
Extemporise is a verb meaning to speak, perform, or compose something spontaneously, without preparation, notes, or a script. When someone extemporises, they rely on their own knowledge, fluency, and quick thinking to carry them through in the moment. The word appears most often in contexts of public speaking, music, teaching, and debate: a lecturer might extemporise when slides fail, or a musician might extemporise a cadenza. It carries a mildly formal register and often implies doing so competently — even impressively — rather than stumbling. The spelling "extemporise" is standard in British English, while "extemporize" predominates in American usage. Derived forms include the noun "extemporisation" and the agent noun "extemporiser". Related words include "extemporaneous" and "impromptu". The term ultimately traces back to Latin "ex tempore", meaning "out of the moment" or "offhand".
verbTo speak, perform, or compose something spontaneously, without preparation or a script. It can also mean to improvise in the moment, drawing on one's wits rather than pre-planned material.
- To speak or perform spontaneously without prior preparation or script.
- To compose or produce something improvised on the spur of the moment.
"When the teleprompter failed mid-broadcast, she had to extemporise her entire closing speech."
"With no notes and no rehearsal, the professor managed to extemporise a fascinating forty-minute lecture."
"The jazz pianist began with a set piece but soon abandoned it to extemporise freely over the chord changes."
The word literally means to be 'out of time' — from Latin ex + tempore, 'outside the (planned) moment' — which is exactly where you are when you're making it up as you go.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extemporise
"Extemporise" derives from the Latin phrase "ex tempore", meaning "out of the time" or "on the spur of the moment". It entered English in the early 17th century, initially appearing as "extemporize" before the British spelling with -ise became established alongside the broader adoption of that suffix convention. The same Latin root gave English several related terms, including "extemporaneous" (done without preparation), "temporary", "tempo", and "temporise". Cognates across Romance languages reflect the same underlying idea of acting outside planned time.
Related word forms
How extemporise is actually used
"Extemporise" is the standard British spelling; American English typically uses "extemporize". The word carries a slightly formal or literary register compared with casual alternatives like "wing it" or "ad-lib", and it usually implies doing so skillfully or gracefully rather than floundering.
Easily confused with extemporise
"Extemporize" is simply the American spelling of "extemporise", which is preferred in British English — the meanings are identical.
"Temporise" means to delay or act evasively to gain time, while "extemporise" means to speak or perform without preparation.