probable

Etymology

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

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑbəbl̩/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒbəbl̩/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: prob‧a‧ble

Adjective

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.

Noun

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.

Etymology

From Latin probābilis.

Adjective

probable (epicene, plural probables)

1. probable

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [pɾuˈβab.blə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [pɾoˈbab.blə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [pɾoˈba.ble]
• Rhymes: -ablə, -able

Adjective

probable m or f (masculine and feminine plural probables)

1. probable

   Antonym: improbable

Further reading

• “probable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʁɔ.babl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

probable (plural probables)

1. likely, probable

Further reading

• “probable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Alternative forms

• provável (reintegrationist)
• probábel

Etymology

From Latin probābilis.

Adjective

probable m or f (plural probables)

1. probable

   Antonyms: improbable, improbábel

Further reading

• “probable”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Adverb

probable

1. probably

Etymology

From Latin probābilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɾoˈbable/ [pɾoˈβ̞a.β̞le]

• Audio (Bolivia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -able
• Syllabification: pro‧ba‧ble

Adjective

probable m or f (masculine and feminine plural probables)

1. probable, likely
2. provable

Further reading

• “probable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10