in•con•gru•ous

(ĭn-kŏng′gro͞o-əs)

adj.

1. Lacking in harmony; incompatible: a joke that was incongruous with polite conversation.

2. Not in agreement, as with principles; inconsistent: a plan incongruous with reason.

3. Not in keeping with what is correct, proper, or logical; inappropriate: incongruous behavior.

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[From Latin incongruus : in-, not; see in-1 + congruus, congruous; see congruous.]

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Howard used this term sparsely and well, using it to contrast a character’s nature with their circumstance or environment. Incongruous was not overused by Howard, but rather underused today to quickly suggest a dichotomy of circumstance or appearance. However, in our wasted age of political correctness, where appearance is not permitted as a substantive clue to human behavior, such a word must fall by the dreary way.