probative
Americanadjective
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serving or designed for testing or trial.
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affording proof or evidence.
adjective
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serving to test or designed for testing
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providing proof or evidence
Other Word Forms
- nonprobative adjective
- nonprobatory adjective
- probatively adverb
- unprobative adjective
Etymology
Origin of probative
1425–75; late Middle English < Middle French probatif < Latin probātīvus of proof. See probate, -ive
Explanation
The legal term probative describes something that tends to demonstrate or prove something. A weapon with the accused's fingerprints on it would be considered probative evidence at a trial. In the law, the phrase "probative value" is used a lot, generally meaning "the ability of a piece evidence to prove something important in a trial." Probative comes from the Latin probativus, "belonging to proof," and is commonly understood among lawyers and judges to mean "tending to prove." Did you manage to get a photo of that lady in the act of stealing your neighbor's dog? That's definitely probative evidence!
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.
The Federal Supreme Court therefore partially overturns the contested award and refers the case back to the CAS for a new ruling, taking into account the probative value of the audio-visual recording in question.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026
Although this account comes to us decades later, I find it probative.
From Slate • Jan. 18, 2024
Those suspicions turned out to be unfounded, though, and the raid failed to turn up probative criminal evidence.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2023
Many media analysts observed that this is the type of probative interview professional journalists should be conducting with elected officials.
From Salon • Nov. 5, 2022
“Sally asked so many garrulous, probative questions that at ten this morning I was reduced to answering, ‘I am sufficiently well, madam.’
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
