putative

adjective

pu·​ta·​tive ˈpyü-tə-tiv How to pronounce putative (audio)
1
: commonly accepted or supposed
2
: assumed to exist or to have existed
putatively adverb

Did you know?

There's no need to make assumptions about the root behind putative; scholars are quite certain the word comes from Latin putatus, the past participle of the verb putare, which means "to consider" or "to think." Putative has been part of English since the 15th century, and it often shows up in legal contexts. For instance, a "putative marriage" is one that is believed to be legal by at least one of the parties involved. When that trusting person finds out that their marriage is not sanctioned by law, other putare derivatives—such as dispute, reputed, imputation, and deputy—may come into play.

Did you know?

Putative: Always Before a Noun

Putative is almost always used in front of a noun, the modified noun being that which is assumed or supposed to be. The putative cause of a death, for example, is the one widely believed to have caused it, even when it hasn't been proven or made certain. However, one does not say "the cause was putative."

Examples of putative in a Sentence

This has always been a nation willing to sell out its past for putative progress. Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 3 June 2002
The putative champions of liberty took up the cry of dissent only after it had become profitable and safe … Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, June 2000
Back in Hollywood in a few weeks, I was discouraged to find yet another putative director wandering about in the Cowan offices, also unpaid. Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
the putative reason for her dismissal was poor job performance
Recent Examples on the Web An inept, feckless and unpopular Palestinian Authority, a voiceless Palestinian people, armed settlers and an Israeli military with an ambiguous mission coexist in the treacherous vacuum of putative but ever-more-inconceivable Palestinian statehood. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024 What is not legitimate, though, is for the Biden administration to exploit the criminal-justice system to make the argument for the president’s partisan advantage, against his putative Republican opponent. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024 President Biden took the border fight directly to former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday, blaming his predecessor and putative challenger for torpedoing a bipartisan immigration agreement out of crass politics at the expense of national security. Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Some developments, however, merely seem to be unfair because the former president and putative Republican 2024 nominee is fitting them into his campaign’s argument that his opponents have weaponized the judicial system against him. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 30 Jan. 2024 When tragedy strikes Shuo, Wei clumsily consoles his friend turned putative brother suggesting that now his dream of freedom has come true. Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Jan. 2024 The disqualification is not putative and therefore does not require any criminal conviction. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024 This word trick took center stage when the presidents of three elite universities — three putative masters of the game — gave their disastrous testimony in Congress earlier this month. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023 This is the putative reason that Invader works pseudonymously, posing for the infrequent photograph in a Salvador Dalí mask or ski goggles. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'putative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin putativus, from Latin putatus, past participle of putare to think

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of putative was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near putative

Cite this Entry

“Putative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/putative. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

putative

adjective
pu·​ta·​tive ˈpyü-tə-tiv How to pronounce putative (audio)
: thought, assumed, or alleged to be such or to exist
the child's putative father
ignorantly entered into a putative marriage before the divorce from a previous spouse was final
putatively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on putative

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