English

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Etymology

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From Middle English probable, from Old French probable, from Latin probābilis (that may be proved, credible), from probāre (to test, examine); see probe, probity, prove. Compare recent doublet provable.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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probable (comparative more probable, superlative most probable)

  1. Likely or most likely to be true.
    It's probable that it will rain tomorrow.
    The probable source of the failure was the mass of feathers in the intake manifold.
  2. Likely to happen.
    With all the support we have, success is looking probable.
  3. Supporting, or giving ground for, belief, but not demonstrating.
    • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: [] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:
      probable evidence
    • 1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 8:
      From an examination of the Teutonic words for "temple" Grimm has made it probable that amongst the Germans the oldest sanctuaries were natural woods.
  4. (obsolete) Capable of being proved.

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

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Noun

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probable (plural probables)

  1. Something that is likely.
    • 2013, Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa, Christopher Shores, Japanese Naval Fighter Aces 1932-45, page 57:
      Four of the 32 251 Ku aircraft turned back, but the other 28 fought for 20 minutes against a reported 100 enemy aircraft, claiming 18 destroyed and five probables.
  2. A person who is likely to appear or do a certain thing.

Further reading

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Asturian

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Etymology

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From Latin probābilis.

Adjective

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probable (epicene, plural probables)

  1. probable

Antonyms

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Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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probable m or f (masculine and feminine plural probables)

  1. probable
    Antonym: improbable

Derived terms

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Further reading

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French

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Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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probable (plural probables)

  1. likely, probable

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Galician

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin probābilis.

Adjective

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probable m or f (plural probables)

  1. probable
    Antonyms: improbable, improbábel

Derived terms

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Adverb

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probable

  1. probably

Spanish

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Etymology

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From Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /pɾoˈbable/ [pɾoˈβ̞a.β̞le]
  • Audio (Bolivia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: pro‧ba‧ble

Adjective

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probable m or f (masculine and feminine plural probables)

  1. probable, likely
  2. provable

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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