English Explanatory Dictionary

probation

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A period of time when a person occupies a position only conditionally and may be removed if certain conditions are not met.
  2. A type of sentence where convicted criminals are permitted to continue living in a community but will automatically be sent to jail if they violate certain conditions.
  3. A testing period of time.
  4. The act of testing; proof.

Pronunciation

/ˌpɹə(ʊ)ˈbeɪʃən/ /ˌpɹoʊˈbeɪʃən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-probation.wav

Word forms

probation probations

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English probacioun, from Middle French probation, from Old French probacion, from Latin probatio (“a trying, inspection, examination”), from probare, past participle probatus (“to test, examine”); see probate, probe, prove.

Related words

probate probe prove

Derived words

academic probation come on vacation, leave on probation probational probationary probationer probationist probation officer probationship

Translations

Bulgarian: стаж Chinese Mandarin: 试用期 Czech: zkušební doba Danish: prøvetid Danish: prøveperiode Dutch: proeftijd Finnish: koeaika French: période d'essai German: Probezeit Greek: δοκιμασία Hungarian: próbaidő Japanese: 保護観察 Malay: percubaan Plautdietsch: Proowtiet Polish: staż Polish: okres próbny Portuguese: contrato de experiência Portuguese: período de experiência Romanian: perioadă de probă Russian: испыта́тельный срок Spanish: periodo de prueba Swedish: praktisk arbetslivsorientering Thai: ทดลองงาน
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