Origin: 1300–50; Middle English a(
p)
proven <
Anglo-French, Old French aprover <
Latin approbāre, equivalent to
ap- ap-1 +
probāre to
prove Related forms ap·prov·ed·ly, adverb
ap·prov·ed·ness, noun
ap·prov·ing·ly, adverb
non·ap·proved, adjective
pre·ap·prove, verb, pre·ap·proved, pre·ap·prov·ing.
re·ap·prove, verb, re·ap·proved, re·ap·prov·ing.
self-ap·proved, adjective
self-ap·prov·ing, adjective
un·ap·proved, adjective
un·ap·prov·ing, adjective
un·ap·prov·ing·ly, adverb
well-ap·proved, adjective
Can be confused: approve, endorse (see synonym study at the current entry).
Synonyms
1. appreciate, esteem. Approve, commend, praise mean to have, and usually to express, a favorable opinion. To approve is to have a very good opinion, expressed or not, of someone or something: He approved the new plan. To commend is to speak or write approv-ingly, often formally and publicly, to congratulate or honor for something done: to commend a worker for a job well done. To praise is to speak or write, often in glowing and emotional terms, about one or more persons, actions, plans, etc.: to praise someone's courage. 2, 3. authorize, endorse, validate.
Antonyms
2, 3. reject.