• putative •
Printable Version Pronunciation: pyu-tê-tiv • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Commonly supposed without proof, reputed but doubtul.
Notes: The only widely used derivational relative of this Good Word is the adverb putatively. The noun putativeness is available, if needed. Putative carries a notably stronger connotation of untruth than its near synonym reputed—a bit more like supposed.
In Play: This word suggests itself when any sort of reputation is at issue: "Les Hyde's putative automotive expertise was exposed when he attempted to repair the engine of Maggie's car by opening the boot." The reputation does not have to be a human one, "My dog is the putative sire of my neighbor's new puppies; however, since we had him fixed last year, he can probably beat the rap."
Word History: Today's Good Word comes to us from Latin putare "to prune, think, reflect" via French putatif. The underlying Proto-Indo-European root here is *peu- "to cut, strike, stamp." It also turns up in other Latin words a bit like putative in that they have to do with thinking or believing: dispute from Latin disputare "to think contentiously," impute from Latin imputare "to charge," and repute from Latin reputare "to examine repeatedly."
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