probation
UK: prəˈbeɪʃən | US: proʊˈbeɪʃən
n. A period of testing or trial to assess someone's suitability, behavior, or performance.
n. (Law) The conditional release of an offender under supervision instead of imprisonment.
n. (Historical) The novitiate period in religious orders.
probation = prob<test, prove> + ation<noun suffix>
- prob (from Latin probare, meaning "to test, approve, or prove")
- ation (noun-forming suffix indicating an action or state, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word "probation" traces back to the Latin probationem (a testing or proving), derived from probare (to test or approve). It entered Middle English via Old French, initially referring to the testing of novices in religious orders. Over time, it expanded to legal and general contexts, retaining the core idea of a trial period to evaluate suitability or behavior. The morpheme prob- appears in related words like "probe," "approve," and "probity," all tied to verification or integrity.
The new employee is on a six-month probation to evaluate her performance.
He was sentenced to two years' probation for the offense.
During probation, offenders must report regularly to a supervisor.
The monk completed his probation before taking final vows.
The university places freshmen on academic probation if their grades fall below the standard.