putative

[ pyoo-tuh-tiv ]
See synonyms for putative on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed: the putative boss of the mob.

Origin of putative

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin putātīvus “considered, reckoned, reputed,” equivalent to putāt(us) (past participle of putāre “to think, consider, reckon,” originally “to prune (trees), clean (wool)” + -īvus -ive

Other words from putative

  • pu·ta·tive·ly, adverb
  • un·pu·ta·tive, adjective
  • un·pu·ta·tive·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use putative in a sentence

  • The necklace had, in fact, made no end of trouble for several hundred putatively innocent and guileless passengers.

    The Bandbox | Louis Joseph Vance

British Dictionary definitions for putative

putative

/ (ˈpjuːtətɪv) /


adjective
  1. (prenominal) commonly regarded as being: the putative father

  2. (prenominal) considered to exist or have existed; inferred

  1. grammar denoting a mood of the verb in some languages used when the speaker does not have direct evidence of what he is asserting, but has inferred it on the basis of something else

Origin of putative

1
C15: from Late Latin putātīvus supposed, from Latin putāre to consider

Derived forms of putative

  • putatively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012