probablement French · revision 16955

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1370–1372, Oresme, Éthiques|origins=la probus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɔ.ba.blə.mɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''probablement'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|probable|-ment]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005) [[probable]] (1285, ⟨proubable⟩) is borrowed from [[la|probābilis|t=plausible; commendable]], from [[m|la|probō|t=to test; to make credible; to approve]], itself from [[m|la|probus|t=upright]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Oresme's translation of Aristotle's ''Ethics'' (1370–1372) contrasts what can be known with certainty, as in mathematics, with what can be said ''tant seulement probablement et vraysemblablement'', “only probably and plausibly”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adverb follows the modern sense of ''probable'', which developed from the end of the 14th century in learned language, of an opinion with an appearance of truth;^(DHLF 1992) Pascal's ''Provinciales'' (1656) discuss the ''opinion probable'' of the casuists.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Probablement que'' (“it is likely that”) is recorded by Féraud in 1788,^(GLLF 1989) and familiar French also uses ''probable'' alone as an adverb.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1285 – The adjective ''proubable''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1370–1372 – ''Probablement'' in Oresme.^(TLFi)

+ * 1694 – Recorded by the Académie.^(TLFi)

+ * 1788 – ''Probablement que'', in Féraud.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|probably|alt=Probably]], in all likelihood: ''Viendra-t-il ? – Probablement.''^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Probablement que'' (with indicative): it is likely that.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[probable]]

+ * [[probabilité]]

+ * [[prouver]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}