Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Medieval Latin
Origin: tentativus, from Latin tentare; TEMPT

tentative

 adjective
     
ten‧ta‧tive
1 not definite or certain, and may be changed later [= provisional; ≠ definite]:
I passed on my tentative conclusions to the police.
The government is taking tentative steps towards tackling the country's economic problems.
2 done without confidence [= hesitant]:
a tentative smile
—tentatively adverb:
Albi knocked tentatively and entered.
—tentativeness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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