probation
UK /ˌpɹə(ʊ)ˈbeɪʃən/ · US /ˌpɹoʊˈbeɪʃən/ noun
Forms probations
- noun A period of time when a person occupies a position only conditionally and may be removed if certain conditions are not met. “You'll be on probation for first six months. After that, if you work out, they'll hire you permanently.”
- noun (law) 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. “He got two years probation for robbery.”
- noun A testing period of time.
- noun (archaic) The act of testing; proof.
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act of proving; also, that which proves anything; proof.
- noun Any proceeding designed to ascertain truth, to determine character, qualification, etc.; examination; trial; as, to engage a person on probation. Hence, specifically: (a) The novitiate which a person must pass in a convent, to probe his or her virtue and ability to bear the severities of the rule. (b) The trial of a ministerial candidate's qualifications prior to his ordination, or to his settlement as a pastor. (c) Moral trial; the state of man in the present life, in which he has the opportunity of proving his character, and becoming qualified for a happier state.
Etymology [L. probatio, fr. probare to try, examine, prove: cf. F. probation. See Prove.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “probation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details