presumptive
Americanadjective
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affording ground for belief or presumption.
presumptive evidence.
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based on likelihood or presumption.
a presumptive title; the presumptive nominee.
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regarded as such by presumption; based on inference; assumed.
a presumptive case of pneumonia.
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Embryology. pertaining to the part of an embryo that, in the course of normal development, will predictably become a particular structure or region.
adjective
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based on presumption or probability
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affording reasonable ground for belief
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of or relating to embryonic tissues that become differentiated into a particular tissue or organ
presumptive epidermis
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of presumptive
From the Late Latin word praesūmptīvus, dating back to 1555–65. See presumption, -ive
Explanation
Having a good reason to believe that something is true means that it is presumptive — you could call a person you assume will be nominated for school president the "presumptive nominee." After an election, when the votes are still being counted but it's clear who the winner will be, reporters often talk about that person as the presumptive winner. And if a doctor were fairly certain you had strep throat, she might call it her presumptive diagnosis. The Latin root word is praesumptionem, which means "confidence or audacity."
Vocabulary lists containing presumptive
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) Tribute List
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United States v. Nixon (1974)
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Cosmos
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many considered Winkleman, 54, to be chat show emperor Graham Norton's presumptive successor - not least because he seemed to be ushering her through himself.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Anthropic is emerging as the presumptive front-runner in the race for AI supremacy, with faster growth and fundraising that could soon yield a higher valuation than rival OpenAI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
One of the oldest laws of parentage is the “marital presumption,” which automatically establishes a birth mother’s husband as the presumptive legal father, even if he is not a biological parent.
From Slate ● May 13, 2026
Powell, whose term as a governor runs through early 2028, said he would keep a low profile and has no interest in acting as a shadow chair under his presumptive successor, Kevin Warsh.
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
In 1790, however, despite the presumptive dreams of a continental empire, the Louisiana Purchase remained in the future and the vast trans-Mississippi region continued under Spanish ownership.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
