Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
proprietary (adj.), propriety (n.)
A proprietary right is one held by reason of a patent or a title or some other basis for a claim of ownership: He has a proprietary interest in that publishing house. Propriety is what is decent, fitting, and proper and conforms with accepted standards of behavior: The propriety of his questions was never in doubt.
