putative
[ pyoo-tuh-tiv ]
/ ˈpyu tə tɪv /
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adjective
commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed: the putative boss of the mob.
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Origin of putative
1400–50; late Middle English <Late Latin putātīvus reputed, equivalent to putāt(us) (past participle of putāre to think, consider, reckon, originally to clean, prune) + -īvus-ive
OTHER WORDS FROM putative
pu·ta·tive·ly, adverbun·pu·ta·tive, adjectiveun·pu·ta·tive·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use putative in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for putative
putative
/ (ˈpjuːtətɪv) /
adjective
(prenominal) commonly regarded as beingthe putative father
(prenominal) considered to exist or have existed; inferred
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
Derived forms of putative
putatively, adverbWord Origin for putative
C15: from Late Latin putātīvus supposed, from Latin putāre to consider
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