different between probable vs tenable

English

Etymology

From Middle English probable, from Old French probable, from Latin prob?bilis (“that may be proved, credible”), from prob?re (“to test, examine”); see probe, prove. Compare recent doublet provable.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p??b?bl?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??b?bl?/
• Hyphenation: prob?a?ble

Adjective

probable (comparative more probable, superlative most probable)

1. Likely or most likely to be true.

2. Likely to happen.

3. Supporting, or giving ground for, belief, but not demonstrating.
4. (obsolete) Capable of being proved.

Antonyms

• improbable

Related terms

• probability
• probable cause
• probably

Translations

See also

• possible
• probeable

Noun

probable (plural probables)

1. Something that is likely.
   • 2013, Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa, Christopher Shores, Japanese Naval Fighter Aces 1932-45 (page 57)

     Four of the 32 251 Ku aircraft turned back, but the other 28 fought for 20 minutes against a reported 100 enemy aircraft, claiming 18 destroyed and five probables.

2. A person who is likely to appear or do a certain thing.

Further reading

• probable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• probable in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin prob?bilis.

Adjective

probable (epicene, plural probables)

1. probable

Antonyms

• improbable

Related terms

• probabilidá

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin prob?bilis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /p?o?ba.bl?/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /p?u?ba.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /p?o?ba.ble/
• Rhymes: -a?le

Adjective

probable (masculine and feminine plural probables)

1. probable

Antonyms

• improbable

Derived terms

• probablement

Related terms

• probabilitat

Further reading

• “probable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Latin prob?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??.babl/

Adjective

probable (plural probables)

1. probable (all meanings)

Related terms

• improbable
• probabilité
• probablement

Further reading

• “probable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Galician

Alternative forms

• probábel

Etymology

From Latin prob?bilis.

Adjective

probable m or f (plural probables)

1. probable

Antonyms

• improbable, improbábel

Derived terms

• probablemente

Related terms

• probabilidade

Ido

Adverb

probable

1. probably

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin prob?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?o?bable/, [p?o???a.??le]

Adjective

probable (plural probables)

1. probable, likely
2. provable

Antonyms

• improbable

Derived terms

• probablemente

Related terms

• probabilidad

English

Etymology

From the French tenable, from tenir (“to hold”); compare tenible.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?t?n.?.b?l/

Rhymes: -?n?b?l

Adjective

tenable (comparative more tenable, superlative most tenable)

1. (of a theory, argument, etc.) capable of being maintained or justified; well-founded

   Back in the 1800s, many did not consider Darwin's theory of evolution to be tenable at all.
2. (military) Capable of being defended against assault or attack; defensible
3. Fit for habitation, similar, or related use.

Antonyms

• untenable
• intenable

Translations

Anagrams

• Beltane, entable

French

Adjective

tenable (plural tenables)

1. tenable

Further reading

• “tenable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).