From Middle English probable, from Old French probable, from Latin probābilis, from probāre; see probe, probity, prove.

• (America) IPA: /ˈpɹɑbəbl̩/
• (RP) IPA: /ˈpɹɒbəbl̩/

probable

1. Likely or most likely to be true.

   It's probable that it will rain tomorrow.

   The probable source of the failure was the mass of feathers in the intake manifold.

2. Likely to happen.

   With all the support we have, success is looking probable.

3. Supporting, or giving ground for, belief, but not demonstrating.
   • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC ↗:

     probable evidence

4. (obsolete) Capable of being proved.

• improbable

• French: probable
• German: glaubhaft, wahrscheinlich
• Italian: probabile
• Portuguese: provável
• Russian: правдоподо́бный
• Spanish: probable

• French: probable
• German: wahrscheinlich
• Portuguese: provável
• Russian: вероя́тный
• Spanish: probable

probable (plural probables)

1. Something that is likely.
   • 2013, Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa, Christopher Shores, Japanese Naval Fighter Aces 1932-45, page 57:

     Four of the 32 251 Ku aircraft turned back, but the other 28 fought for 20 minutes against a reported 100 enemy aircraft, claiming 18 destroyed and five probables.

2. A person who is likely to appear or do a certain thing.