Approbabat

Approbabat is a Latin verb form. It represents the third person singular imperfect active indicative of the verb approbare, meaning to approve, approve of, or approve of as a judgment. In Latin, the imperfect tense expresses ongoing or past habitual action, so approbabat translates roughly as “he/she/it was approving” or, in narrative contexts, “he approved” depending on the surrounding tense and aspect.

Etymology and grammar

The verb approbare is formed from the prefix ad- and the root probare, related to proving or testing, with the sense of giving formal approval. The imperfect endings in Latin include -bam, -bas, -bat, -bamus, -batis, -bant; hence approbabat is the form for third person singular in the imperfect. The form agrees with a single subject and governs a direct object in many constructions, as approbatio is the noun for “approval.”

Usage in Latin

Approbat and approbabat appear in classical and late antique Latin literature, especially in legal, political, and rhetorical contexts where statements of consent, decree, or praise are reported. The imperfect, approbabat, often sets a past scene or describes a process of evaluation over time. It can be contrasted with perfect forms (approbavit) to mark completed approval, or with present forms (approbat) for ongoing approval.

Examples

- Senatus decreta approbabat. The senate was approving the decrees.

- Caesar consilium approbabat. Caesar was approving the plan.

Relation to related terms

The noun form approbatio means the act of approving. English inherits related terms such as approbation, which derive from the same Latin root. In Latin prose, approbabat functions like any ordinary imperfect verb form and is not a separate lexical entry beyond its verbal meaning.

In summary, approbabat is a standard Latin verb form signaling past, ongoing approval by a singular subject, used across historical Latin texts to convey affirmation, consent, or endorsement.