Evidential

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɛ.vɪˈdən.t͡ʃəl/

Definitions

1. Serving as or providing proof, evidence, or factual support for a claim or conclusion
2. Functioning as a basis for establishing proof or substantiating a claim, this term pertains to the use of observable data in validating concepts or theories
3. Pertaining to or indicating evidence that supports or demonstrates the truth of something

Etymology: Evidence is the root here, and its Latin ancestor was a plain word for obviousness. "Ēvidentia" came from "ēvidens," meaning clear or manifest, built from "ē," out, and "vidēre," to see, so the notion was something seen clearly from outside. English "evidence" carries that visual sense into courtrooms and laboratories, where proof must be something a reader or jury can see for themselves. "Evidential" adds the suffix "-al," which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "relating to" or "of the nature of." It was formed from Medieval Latin "ēvidentiālis," a term that grew out of the older "ēvidentia" and gave the English adjective its sense of supplying proof. The word is a straightforward derivation, so its interest lies mainly in how the Latin image of seeing something clearly survives inside it.

Synonyms: indicative, demonstrative, proof-related

Antonyms: unsubstantiated, inconclusive