# probable

Pronunciation: US say "PRAH-buh-buhl" /ˈpɹɑbəbl̩/; UK say "PROB-uh-buhl" /ˈpɹɒbəbl̩/

## Adjective

1. Likely to happen, though not certain.
   - Simple: Expected to happen, even though it is not certain.
   - _Forecasters say snow is probable across the mountains by Friday evening._
   - _Without new investment, layoffs at the plant seem probable next quarter._
2. Having a good chance, or the best chance among the alternatives, of turning out to be true.
   - Simple: Most likely true, based on the facts you have.
   - _The probable explanation for the outage is a downed power line._
   - _Given the handwriting analysis, it is probable that the note was forged._
3. Supporting or giving grounds for belief, without amounting to demonstration or proof.
   - Simple: Giving good reason to believe something, but not proving it.
   - _The defense argued that the fingerprints were probable evidence at best, suggestive but far from conclusive._
   - _Her field notes offered probable support for the theory without settling the question._

## Noun

4. A person regarded as likely to appear, take part, or be selected.
   - Simple: A person who is expected to take part in something, like a game or a play.
   - _The quarterback is listed as a probable for Sunday's game despite his sore ankle._
   - _Among the names floated for ambassador, he is considered a probable._
5. Something regarded as likely to happen or to be the case.
   - Simple: Something that you expect will most likely happen.
   - _Analysts moved the merger from a possible to a probable after the earnings call._
   - _We sorted the sales leads into probables and long shots._

## Adjective

6. Capable of being proved or demonstrated as true. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Able to be proved or shown to be true.
   - _The advocate insisted the debt was probable by the merchant's own ledger._
   - _The council retained the doctrines that were probable by Scripture and set aside the rest._

## Origin

From Middle English 'probable', borrowed from Old French 'probable', from Latin 'probabilis' ("that may be proved, credible"), which comes from 'probare' ("to test, examine"). It is related to 'probe', 'probity', and 'prove', and is a recent doublet of 'provable'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/probable (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).