putative
pu·ta·tive/ˈpju.tə.tɪv/adjective
putative is spelled P-U-T-A-T-I-V-E: 8 letters and 3 syllables (pu·ta·tive). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 30,418th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, putative means “Commonly believed or deemed to be the case; generally assumed” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in putative?
| Letters | 8: P-U-T-A-T-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: pu·ta·tive |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 30,418th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is putative?
Putative appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 30,418th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce putative?
- UK /ˈpjuː.tə.tɪv/
- US /ˈpju.tə.tɪv/
- Australia /ˈpjʉː.tə.tɪv/
Putative has 3 syllables, split pu·ta·tive in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-putative.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of putative
- more putative comparative
- most putative superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does putative mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Commonly believed or deemed to be the case; generally assumed.
Just as Prince Sihanouk is fronting for the Khmer Rouge today . . . so also was he their putative leader from 1970 to 1975.
- 2
Accepted by supposition rather than as a result of proof.
- 3
Alleged, purported, ostensible, professed.
- 4
proscribedProspective, potential, proposed.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Putative in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense commonly believed or deemed to be the case:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | putatif, présumé |
| German | mutmaßlich, vermeintlich, angeblich |
| Portuguese | putativo |
| Spanish | putativo, existimativo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does putative come from?
First attested c. 1432, from Middle French putatif, from Latin putātīvus (“supposed, purported”), from putātus (“thought”), from putō (“to think, to consider, to reckon”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).