probative

Also pro·ba·to·ry

[proh-buh-tiv, prob-uh-]

adjective

1. serving or designed for testing or trial.

2. affording proof or evidence.

probative

/ -trɪ, ˈprəʊbətərɪ, ˈprəʊbətɪv /

adjective

1. serving to test or designed for testing

2. providing proof or evidence

Other Word Forms

• probatively adverb
• nonprobative adjective
• nonprobatory adjective
• unprobative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of probative¹

1425–75; late Middle English < Middle French probatif < Latin probātīvus of proof. See probate, -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of probative¹

C15: from Late Latin probātīvus concerning proof

Example Sentences

A burnt horseshoe found in the rubble is more promising as a probative clue.

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“Although the State deferred certain questions, in many other instances, the grand jurors asked probative questions, and received complete answers from witnesses, without State interference,” Marlowe Sommer wrote.

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In this case, though, Phelps ruled that Sarey’s drug use and intoxication is out of bounds, finding it “would be more prejudicial than probative.”

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But, Bader said, "there was a lot of the evidence that came in was probably more prejudicial than probative, which is the standard for admissibility."

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Santos has produced so much ludicrous theater for news cameras that, in the hands of a probative interviewer with minimal fact-checking ability, some quality wild weirdness could have been mined from the situation.

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