probable (ˈprɒbəbəll
)
Definitions
adjective
- likely to be or to happen but not necessarily so
- most likely ⇒
the probable cause of the accident
noun
- a person who is probably to be chosen for a team, event, etc
Word Origin
C14: via Old French from Latin probābilis that may be proved, from probāre to proveSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
likely,
possible,
apparent,
reasonable to think
most likely,
presumed,
credible,
plausible,
feasible,
odds-on,
on the cards,
presumable,
Translations
- British English:
probable
Something that is probable is likely to be true or likely to happen.It is probable that the volcano will erupt again.ˈprɒbəbl ADJECTIVE It is probable that the volcano will erupt again.
- Spanish:
probable
adj
- French:
probable
adj
- German:
wahrscheinlich
adj
- Chinese: 很可能的 adj
- Arabic: مُحْتَمَل adj
- Portuguese: provável adj
- Russian: вероятный adj вероятная
- Croatian: vjerojatan adj vjerojatna
- Czech: pravděpodobný adj
- Danish: sandsynlig adj
- Dutch: waarschijnlijk adj
- Finnish: todennäköinen adj
- Greek: πιθανός adj πιθανή
- Italian: probabile adj
- Japanese: ありそうな no_posp
- Korean: 있음직한 adj
- Norwegian: sannsynlig adj
- Polish: prawdopodobny adj prawdopodobna
- Brazilian Portuguese: provável adj
- European Spanish:
probable
adj
- Swedish: sannolik adj sannolikt
- Thai: ที่น่าจะเป็นไปได้ adj
- Turkish: olası adj
- Vietnamese: có thể adj
Usage examples
I agree with you that a lift from someone she thought was a friend is the most probable explanation of how she got here.
, Thy Brother Death (1993)At enrolment we tested blood sample and swabs from probable entry sites for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
British Medical Journal (2002)Earlier yesterday, the number of probable cases in Ontario had jumped to at least 35 from 28 on Thursday.
Globe and Mail (2003)He was told on April 17 last year it was probable he was infected with the HIV virus.
Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2004)The idea of pre-existence `renders more probable a plurality of future lives" (p. 117).
, Reincarnation - Fact or Fable? (1991)