Presumptive Meaning and Definition
Presumptive
Pronunciation
/prəˈspʌm.tɪv/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A hypothesis or theory that is considered to be likely or probable, but has not been proven or confirmed.
Etymology
The word “presumptive” comes from the Latin words “praesumpere”, meaning “to take beforehand” or “to assume beforehand”, and the suffix “-ive”, forming an adjective.
Usage Notes
“Presumptive” is often used in scientific, academic, and professional contexts to describe theories, hypotheses, or predictions that are considered likely but require further evidence or testing to confirm.
Cultural References
In popular culture, “presumptive” has been referenced in television shows, movies, and literature to describe uncertain or speculative information.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
“On the face of it” and “in theory” are idiomatic expressions that use “presumptive” to describe conclusions or hypotheses that are inferred or assumed.
Related Words or Phrases
“Assumption”, “theory”, “hypothesis”, “speculation”, and “probability” are related words or phrases that convey similar meanings to “presumptive”.
Collocations
“Presumptive evidence”, “presumptive diagnosis”, and “presumptive indications” are common collocations that use the word in a specific context.
Frequency of Use
According to the Corpus of Contemporary American English, “presumptive” has a moderate frequency of use, ranking #3244 among the most common 10,000 words in the English language.
Common Misspellings
Common misspellings of “presumptive” include “presumptively”, “presumtive”, and “presumptiveley”.