expedient

 
Pronunciation: /ɪkˈspiːdɪənt, ɛk-/

adjective

  • (of an action) convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral: either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so
  • (of an action) suitable or appropriate: holding a public enquiry into the scheme was not expedient

noun

  • a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but possibly improper or immoral: the current policy is a political expedient

Derivatives

expedience

noun

expediently

adverb

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin expedient- 'extricating, putting in order', from the verb expedire (see expedite)

Spelling help

Spell expedient with -ent at the end.