Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “probation” come from?

Probation comes from Middle French probation, from Old French probacion, from Latin probatio (a testing or approval), derived from probare (to test, approve), rooted in probus (honest, worthy), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- and bʰuH-.

probation (English): A period of time when a person occupies a...

Definitions

  1. A period of time when a person occupies a...

Ancestry of “probation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishprobacioun—
2Middle Frenchprobation—
3Old Frenchprobacion—
4Latinprobatiotest, trial, inspection, examination;...
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “probation”

  • probationary
  • probationer
  • probational
  • probie
  • probationership
  • probationship
  • probationist
  • probationally
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →