improbable

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French improbable, from im- + probable.

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɹɑbəbl̩/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɹɒbəbl̩/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: im‧prob‧a‧ble

Adjective

improbable (comparative more improbable, superlative most improbable)

  1. Not likely to be true.
    It's highly improbable that aliens abducted you.
    • 1674, [Richard Allestree], “Of Positiveness”, in The Government of the Tongue. [], Oxford, Oxfordshire: At the Theater, →OCLC, page 197:
      Nay, if he be of a proud humour, [] he will not Bate an Ace of abſolute certainty, but however doubtful or improbable the thing is, coming f[r]om him it muſt go for an indiſputable truth.
  2. Not likely to happen.
    Due to the loss of power, it is improbable that we will begin on time.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

Catalan

Adjective

improbable m or f (masculine and feminine plural improbables)

  1. improbable, unlikely
    Antonym: probable

Derived terms

Further reading

French

Etymology

From im- + probable.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pʁɔ.babl/
  • (file)

Adjective

improbable (plural improbables)

  1. unlikely, improbable (not likely)
    Synonym: peu probable

Further reading

Galician

Alternative forms

Adjective

improbable m or f (plural improbables)

  1. improbable (not likely to happen)
    Antonym: probable

Derived terms

Further reading

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /impɾoˈbable/ [ĩm.pɾoˈβ̞a.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: im‧pro‧ba‧ble

Adjective

improbable m or f (masculine and feminine plural improbables)

  1. improbable, unlikely
    Antonym: probable

Derived terms

Further reading

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.