ap·pro·ba·tive \ˈaprəˌbād.iv, -_bəd.-; əˈprōbəd.-, əˈpräb-\adjective Etymology: French approbatif, from Medieval Latin approbativus proving, from Late Latin, giving a reason, from Latin approbatus + -ivus -ive : favorable < once criticism of the plan took a favorable turn, it remained approbative >