WORD OF THE DAY

Probationary describes a time period or process of testing someone out. At a new job, you may go through a probationary period while your boss considers whether you're a good fit.

Probationary comes from the Latin probare, "to test." When someone's convicted of a nonviolent crime, they sometimes serve a probationary term, when they have to be on their best behavior. This kind of test period is common in employment, too; many new workers have to wait weeks before they qualify for benefits. You might even have a probationary period for your new dog: "Let's give him a few days and see if he gets along with the cat!"