tentative
[ ten-tuh-tiv ]
/ ˈtɛn tə tɪv /
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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
OTHER WORDS FROM tentative
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for tentative
tentative
/ (ˈtɛntətɪv) /
adjective
provisional or experimental; conjectural
hesitant, uncertain, or cautious
Derived forms of tentative
tentatively, adverbtentativeness, nounWord Origin for tentative
C16: from Medieval Latin tentātīvus, from Latin tentāre to test
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