Comprobate

/ˈkɒmprəbeɪt/ verb

Definition

To confirm or prove the truth of something; to verify or validate.

Etymology

From Latin 'comprobare' (com- + probare, to approve or prove). The prefix 'com-' means 'together' and 'probare' comes from 'probus' meaning 'good' or 'worthy.' Used in legal and scholarly contexts from the Medieval period onward.

Kelly Says

This word is almost completely dead in modern English, but it's still used in legal and academic archives when citing very old documents. It's a linguistic fossil that shows how Latin-based legal language can preserve words long after they disappear from everyday speech!

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