approbative
/ˈæp.ɹəˌbeɪ.tɪv/
"approbative" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“approbative” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Expressing approval.
Corpus desk
Index EN-approbative · approbative · English
approbative · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 11 letters
- VOW-5 5 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "A" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | approbative |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈæp.ɹəˌbeɪ.tɪv/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “approbative” in English
Rare enough to double-check
approbative is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈæp.ɹəˌbeɪ.tɪv/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
Zero misspellings are on record for approbative in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin approbātīvus, from Latin approbō (“assert, accept, confirm”). The correct English form is approbative, spelled A-P-P-R-O-B-A-T-I-V-E.
Definition
- 1Expressing approval.
- 2Sanctioning officially, giving authorization or approval to something.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how approbative appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
approbative criticism
His late Display of unparralled [sic] Generosity to a distressed, though reputable Family, will be enrolled in the Court above; and from the recording Angel, instead of a Tear, extort an approbative smile.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin approbātīvus, from Latin approbō (“assert, accept, confirm”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.