ˈpyüd.əd.iv adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin putativus, from Latin putatus (past participle of putare to consider, think) + -ivus -ive — more at pave
1. : commonly accepted or supposed : reputed
a few of us are a little dubious about these putative human superiorities — E.A.Hooton
the putative father
2. : assumed to exist or to have existed : hypothesized, inferred
they can recognize rock strata capable of producing oil, and look for the putative product — Time
traced back to a postulated form in a putative parent language — J.B.Carroll
• pu·ta·tive·ly -d.ə̇vlē adverb