Word: presumptive (adjective)

Associations

The word "presumptive" means something that is based on a reasonable guess or assumption, but not yet confirmed as a fact. It often relates to situations where something is expected or likely, but not certain.

• In medicine: "presumptive diagnosis" means a doctor’s initial guess about what illness a patient has before all tests are done.
• In politics: "presumptive nominee" means a candidate who is expected to be chosen by their party, but not officially confirmed yet.
• In law: "presumptive evidence" means evidence that suggests something is true unless proven otherwise.

"Presumptive" is similar to "presumed," but "presumptive" is more about an expectation or assumption before confirmation, while "presumed" can sometimes mean already accepted as true.

Substitution

You can sometimes replace "presumptive" with words like:

• "probable" (likely to happen or be true)
• "expected" (thought to be likely)
• "tentative" (not definite, still subject to change)

But note:

• "Probable" focuses more on likelihood.
• "Expected" is more about anticipation.
• "Tentative" suggests more uncertainty than "presumptive."

Deconstruction

• Prefix: "pre-" means "before."
• Root: "sumptive" comes from Latin "sumere," meaning "to take" or "to assume." So "presumptive" literally means "taken before" or "assumed beforehand."

This explains why "presumptive" relates to something assumed or expected before it is confirmed.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you made a presumptive decision before knowing all the facts?
• How might "presumptive" be useful in daily life, like in planning or guessing?
• Can you find other words with the prefix "pre-" that show something happening before? How do they compare to "presumptive"?