putative

CEFRC1

/ˈpjuː.tə.tɪv/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Generally believed to be true or accepted, although not proven.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Accepted by supposition rather than as a result of proof.

Examples

  • He was the putative playboy of the librarian set.

  • The risks of such a project would clearly outweigh any putative benefit.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈpjʉː.tə.tɪv/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Alleged, purported, ostensible, professed.

  2. Commonly believed or deemed to be the case; generally assumed.

  3. Prospective, potential, proposed.

More examples

In context

  • Just as Prince Sihanouk is fronting for the Khmer Rouge today . . . so also was he their putative leader from 1970 to 1975.

  • If they are in fact sound, then, of course, desire-utilitarianism need not account for the putative wrongness of infanticide.

  • This independence is still presupposed as a condition of agency; but this presupposition leaves in place the epistemic possibility that our putative freedom is illusory, that we are automata rather than agents.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank father of the child has never been seen by anyone.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

First attested c. 1432, from Middle French putatif, from Latin putātīvus (“supposed, purported”), from putātus (“thought”), from putō (“to think, to consider, to reckon”).