probable cause

noun

Meaning

The standard by which a police officer may make an arrest or conduct a personal or property search, based on the likelihood of a criminal act etc.
In accident investigations, the conclusions reached by the investigating body as to the factor or factors which caused the accident.

Etymology / origin

No prose etymology has been added yet.

No ancestor words have been linked yet.

Related words

balance of probabilities(English)preponderance of the evidence(English)primary offense(English)balance of probability(English)order to show cause(English)charge(English)fact pattern(English)capacity(English)

Descendant words

No descendant words have been linked yet.

Sources

DictionaryAPI.dev English dictionary data