Probation
late Middle English (denoting testing or investigation): from Old French probacion, from Latin probatio(n- ), from probare ‘to test, prove’ (see prove). The legal use dates from the late 19th century.
wiktionary
From Middle French probation, from Old French probacion, from Latin probatio(“a trying, inspection, examination”), from probare, past participle probatus(“to test, examine”); see probate, probe, prove.
etymonline
probation (n.)
early 15c., probacioun, "trial, experiment, test, act of examining with a probe," from Old French probacion "proof, evidence" (14c., Modern French probation) and directly from Latin probationem (nominative probatio) "approval, assent; a proving, trial, inspection, examination," noun of action from past-participle stem of probare "to test" (see prove).
Meaning "testing of a person's conduct" (especially as a trial period of a candidate for membership) is from early 15c., originally especially a testing or trial by adversity. The theological sense is recorded by 1520s; the criminal justice sense is recorded by 1866. As a verb from 1640s. Related: Probationer; probationary.
