tentative
English
Etymology
French tentatif, from Latin tentativus (“trying, testing”), from tento, past participle tentatus (“to try, test”); see tent, tempt.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈtɛntətɪv/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - Hyphenation: ten‧ta‧tive
Noun
tentative (plural tentatives)
- A trial; an experiment; an attempt.
Adjective
tentative (comparative more tentative, superlative most tentative)
- Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental.
- Uncertain; subject to future change.
- restrained; polite; to feel one's way, not using full force.
Antonyms
- (subject to future change): conclusive, definitive, certain
Derived terms
- tentativeness
- tentatively
Translations
of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental
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uncertain
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restrained
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Further reading
- tentative in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- tentative in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
Anagrams
- attentive
French
Etymology
From Medieval Latin tentātīva, from tentō (“to attempt”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tɑ̃.ta.tiv/
Audio (file)
Noun
tentative f (plural tentatives)
- attempt, try, effort (particularly of something difficult or risky)
- general senses
- Synonym: essai
- faire une tentative de quelque chose ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- faire une tentative pour faire quelque chose ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- la première tentative avortée ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- une deuxième tentative infructueuse ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- résoudre de faire une dernière tentative ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- des longues années de tentatives échouées ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- (law) an attempted infraction of law
- tentative de viol ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- tentative d'enlèvement ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- commettre une tentative d'homicide ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- accusé de la tentative d'assassinat d'un homme politique ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- L'homme en question est suspecté de la tentative de meurtre sur sa femme. ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- general senses
Related terms
- tenter
References
- “tentative”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
German
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Adjective
tentative
- inflection of tentativ:
- strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
- strong nominative/accusative plural
- weak nominative all-gender singular
- weak accusative feminine/neuter singular