Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nounReasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search.
Similar
Origin
Elliptical for “probable cause to suspect a crime has been committed”, where probable carries the sense “worthy of acceptance or belief”. Attested in legal contexts since the 17th century.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 相當理由 /相当理由
- 相當理由 /相当理由 (xiāngdāng lǐyóu)reasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search
Finnish todennäköinen syy
- todennäköinen syyreasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search
Norwegian Bokmål skjellig grunn til mistanke
- skjellig grunn til mistankereasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search
Polish prawdopodobny motyw
- prawdopodobny motywreasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search
Russian доста́точное основа́ние
- доста́точное основа́ние (dostátočnoje osnovánije)reasonable grounds for making an arrest or conducting a personal or property search
Cite this entry
APA
probable cause. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probable%20cause
MLA
“probable cause.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probable%20cause. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “probable cause,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/probable%20cause.
Source: probable cause on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.