putative

putative — adjective

1. used for describing a person or thing that people believe or claim to be a certa

1.形容詞C1
釋義

used for describing a person or thing that people believe or claim to be a certain type, although the truth has not been proved.

例句

The putative heir to the throne appeared at the ceremony alongside the king.

attributive only: always placed before the noun it modifies

Élise introduced her putative cousin at the family dinner, though nobody had met him before.

同義詞
  • supposed

    more common and neutral; works in both formal and informal contexts, while putative is strictly formal

  • alleged

    carries stronger overtones of accusation; common in legal and crime reporting, whereas putative is broader

  • presumed

    implies a reasonable basis for belief, not just rumour; weaker than proven but stronger than putative in evidentiary weight

  • reputed

    based on general public opinion or reputation; sometimes carries a positive connotation that putative lacks

反義詞
  • confirmed

    verified as true through evidence, the opposite of assumed without proof

  • proven

    supported by facts or evidence, while putative remains unsubstantiated

文法句型

putative + noun

用法筆記

Attributive only — putative must come directly before the noun it describes and cannot follow a linking verb (e.g., ✗ 'The reason was putative'). It belongs to formal registers such as legal, academic, and journalistic writing; avoid in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌The leader of the group is putative.
✅He is the putative leader of the group.
💡putative must come before the noun; it cannot be used after a linking verb.
❌I have a putative feeling about this plan.
✅This is the putative plan, though details are still unclear.
💡putative describes something believed by others, not a personal feeling or hunch.