Definition of PROVEN

proven

Verb

  • be shown or be found to be
  • establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment
  • provide evidence for
  • prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof
  • put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
  • increase in volume
  • cause to puff up with a leaven
  • take a trial impression of
  • obtain probate of
  • past participle of prove

Adjective

  • established beyond doubt
    • "a proven liar"
    • "a Soviet leader of proven shrewdness"

Adj

  • Having been proved; having proved its value or truth.

Examples

  • "It's a proven fact that morphine is a more effective painkiller than acetaminophen is."
  • "Mass lexical comparison is not a proven method for demonstrating relationships between languages."

Origin / Etymology

From Scottish English, as past participle of preve, a Middle English variant of prove – compare woven (from weave) and cloven (from cleave), both of which feature -eve → -oven. Preve died out in England, but survived in Scotland, where proven developed, initially in a legal context, as in “The jury ruled that the charges were not proven.” See usage notes for historical usage patterns.
Earlier, from Late Latin probō (“test, try, examine, approve, show to be good or fit, prove”, verb), from Latin probus (“good, worthy, excellent”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰuH-s (“being in front, prominent”), from *pro-, *per- (“toward”) + *bʰuH- (“to be”).
Morphologically prove + -n.

Synonyms

bear witness, demonstrate, essay, establish, evidence, examine, leaven, prove, proved, raise, rise, shew, show, test, testify, try, try out, turn out, turn up

Scrabble Score: 11

proven is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
proven is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
proven is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

proven is a valid Words With Friends word