probe

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
9
Words With Friends
11
Letters
5
Pronunciation
/pɹəʊb/(UK)
See all 2 pronunciations
/pɹəʊb/(UK) · /pɹoʊb/

Definition of probe

13 senses · 3 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. Any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc.
See all 13 definitions

noun

  1. Any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc.
  2. Any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc.
    “You know, XR178.9, we haven't done any anal probes in a while.”
    “You listen here! We don't do anal probes like other aliens, but I'm about to make an exception!”
  3. (figuratively)Something which penetrates something else, as though to explore; something which obtains information.
    “Silverberg also gives the reader reader some excellent character insight; deep probes into the minds of all the principals bring the reader closer to the persons involved than might be thought possible with the plot so far removed from the realm of normality.”
  4. An act of probing; a prod, a poke.
  5. (figuratively)An investigation or inquiry.
    “They launched a probe into the cause of the accident.”
  6. A tube attached to an aircraft which can be fitted into the drogue from a tanker aircraft to allow for aerial refuelling.
  7. A small device, especially an electrode, used to explore, investigate or measure something by penetrating or being placed in it.
    “Insert the probe into the soil and read the temperature.”
  8. A small, usually uncrewed, spacecraft used to acquire information or measurements about its surroundings.
  9. A move with multiple possible answers, seeking to make the opponent choose and commit to a strategy.
  10. Any group of atoms or molecules radioactively labeled in order to study a given molecule or other structure

verb

  1. (ambitransitive)To explore, investigate, question, test, or prove.
    “If you probe further, you may discover different reasons.”
    “the growing disposition to probe the legality of all acts of the crown”
    “It was exhilarating to watch him share a meal and then probe deeper into the cultures, the politics, and the heartbeat of the people of the city or country he was in. He seemed so learned, but not in any pretentious way.”
  2. (transitive)To insert a probe into.

name

  1. A model of Ford automobile.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

For verb: borrowed from Latin probare (“to test, examine, prove”), from probus (“good”). Doublet of prove. For noun: borrowed from Late Latin proba (“a proof”), from probare (“to test, examine, prove”); Doublet of proof. Compare Spanish tienta (“a surgeon's probe”), from tentar (“try, test”); see tempt.

Anagrams of probe

2 plays · some not in Scrabble

Best play rebop 9 points

Hooks

3 extensions · 3 back

A single letter you can add to probe to make another valid word.

Find your best play with probe

See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes probe, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.