presumptive

Adjective

presumptive (comparative more presumptive, superlative most presumptive)

1. Based on presumption or conjecture; inferred, likely, presumed.
   • By late May, he was already considered his party’s presumptive nominee.
   • Hovv delightfully vvould your time have been taken up vvith the appeals of ſcolding vvives, forſaken damſels and vvitches preſumptive!1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LII. Lady G[randison]. To Miss Lucy Selby.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], 2nd edition, volume VI, London: […] S[amuel]...
   1. Often postpositive, as in heir presumptive: of an heir or heiress: presumed to be entitled to inherit unless someone with a superior entitlement is born.
      • The Queen’s younger brother was the heir presumptive to the throne, until she gave birth to her first child.
      • [B]y lavv no inheritance can veſt, nor can any perſon be the actual complete heir of another, till the anceſtor is previouſly dead. Nemo eſt haeres viventis [No one is the heir of the living]. Before that time the perſon vvho is next in the line of ſucceſſion is called an heir apparent, or heir...1766, William Blackstone, “Of a Title by Descent”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 208
   2. Of a cell or tissue: which has yet to differentiate, but is presumed to develop into a particular body part.
2. Synonym of presumptuous (“making unwarranted presumptions or assumptions, often out of arrogance or excessive self-confidence, and thus exceeding what is appropriate or right”).
   • Forgive me for being presumptive, but aren’t you and Mark engaged?
   • There being therefore tvvo opinions repugnant unto each other, it may not be preſumptive or skepticall in me to doubt of both, and becauſe vve remaine imperfect in the generall theory of Colours, vvee ſhall deliver at preſent a ſhort diſcovery of blacknes, vvherein although perhaps vve afford no...1646, Thomas Browne, “A Digression concerning Blacknesse”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 6th book, page 334

   Synonyms:

   presuming, presumptuous

3. (often) Chiefly in presumptive evidence: providing a reasonable basis for a certain presumption or conclusion to be drawn.
   • The perſon in this ſituation [having a mere right of property without possession or the right of possession of the property] may have the true ultimate property of the lands in himſelf: but by the intervention of certain circumſtances, either by his ovvn negligence, the ſolemn act of his anceſtor...1766, William Blackstone, “Of the Title to Things Real, in General”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page...
   • Though we had seen no land since leaving Calloa, Cape Horn was said to be somewhere to the West of us; and though there was no positive evidence of the fact, the weather encountered might be accounted pretty good presumptive proof.1850, Herman Melville, “Edging Away”, in White Jacket; or, The World in a Man-of-War, volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 182–183