Added 9 October 2026
prove
/ˈpɹuːv/ verb
In Latin: probō, arguō Wiktionary
verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about prove at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Be shown or be found to be.
She proved to be right
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Establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment.
The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound
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Provide evidence for.
The blood test showed that he was the father
Origin
From Middle English proven, from Old English prōfian (“to esteem, regard as, evince, try, prove”) and Old French prover (“to prove”), both from Latin probō (“test, try, examine, approve, show to be good or fit, prove”, verb), from probus (“good, worthy, excellent”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰuH-s (“being in front, prominent”), from *pro-, *per- (“toward”) + *bʰuH- (“to be”). Displaced native Middle English sothen (“to prove”), from Old English sōþian (“to prove”). Doublet of probe. More at for, be, soothe.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)