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tentative

[ ten-tuh-tiv ]
/ ˈtɛn tə tɪv /
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See synonyms for: tentative / tentatively / tentativeness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental: a tentative report on her findings.
unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant: a tentative smile on his face.
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Origin of tentative

First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin tentātīvus, equivalent to Latin tentāt(us) (past participle of tentāre, variant of temptāre “to test”; see tempt) + -īvus adjective suffix (see -ive)

OTHER WORDS FROM tentative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tentative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tentative

tentative
/ (ˈtɛntətɪv) /

adjective
provisional or experimental; conjectural
hesitant, uncertain, or cautious

Derived forms of tentative

tentatively, adverbtentativeness, noun

Word Origin for tentative

C16: from Medieval Latin tentātīvus, from Latin tentāre to test
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
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