# approval

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈpɹuːvəl/ · frequency rank #2,978

## Definitions
1. An expression granting permission; an indication of agreement with a proposal; an acknowledgement that a person, thing, or event meets requirements.
2. An expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones.
3. Something mailed by a seller to a collector to match their stated interests; the collector can approve of or return the item.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd
Proto-Italic *ad
Proto-Italic *ad-
Latin ad-
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?
Proto-Indo-European *pér
Proto-Indo-European *-o
Proto-Indo-European *pró
Proto-Indo-European *pro-der.
Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-der.
Proto-Italic *proβwos
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Italic *-āō
Proto-Italic *proβwāō
Latin probō
Latin approbōder.
Old French aproverbor.
Middle English aproven
English approve
Proto-Italic *-ālis
Latin -ālisbor.
Old French -albor.
▲
Latin -ālis
Old French -elbor.
▲
Latin -ālisbor.
Middle English -al
English -al
English approval
From approve + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **approve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approval-vs-approve)
- **approved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approval-vs-approved)
- **approves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approval-vs-approves)

## Common misspellings (10)
`apporval`, `approavl`, `approvall`, `approvla`, `approvval`, `apprroval`, `apprvoal`, `aproval`, `aprpoval`, `paproval`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/approval