probationary

[ proh-bey-shuh-ner-ee ]

adjective

1. being or relating to an act, process, or period of testing, as of a person’s character, performance, qualifications, etc.:

   All our new hires have probationary status until their three-month review.

2. Law.
   1. relating to probation, a method of dealing with offenders, especially youth guilty of minor crimes or first offenses, by allowing them to go at large under the supervision of a probation officer:

      The judge’s options include sending the minor to a probationary camp for juvenile offenders.

   2. relating to conditional release:

      Clients who have completed the probationary period are discharged from the program and released from their prison sentence.

3. Education. being or relating to a trial period or condition of students who are being permitted to redeem academic failures, misconduct, etc.:

   Remediation plans for each probationary student must be submitted to the department Chair by midterm.

Other Words From

• un·pro·ba·tion·ar·y un·pro·ba·tion·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of probationary¹

probation ( def ) + -ary ( def )

Example Sentences

In that case, any sentence in New York, including a probationary one, would be served only after Trump is out of office, at which point this may be a very different country.

From Los Angeles Times

Yu’s report called on the police department to ban “‘rites of passage’ that might be construed as hazing or disparate treatment towards probationary officers.”

From Los Angeles Times

"It's just another thing that businesses have to contend with," he said, adding that the new rules around sick pay, unfair dismissal and probationary periods would make business "very, very nervous".

From BBC

Reynolds emphasised the importance of retaining probationary periods when a new employee starts a job.

From BBC

State officials say the temporary freeze on state requirements affects only the Tulare Lake subbasin, and they are moving ahead with separate processes to consider probationary measures in other areas of the San Joaquin Valley.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• empirical
• preliminary
• unproved