ihtimali

Ihtimali is a Turkish term used to denote probability or likelihood, and it functions as an adjective or noun in contexts that involve probabilistic assessment. The word derives from the Arabic ihtimal (probability, possibility) and entered Turkish through Persian and Ottoman Turkish. In modern Turkish, ihtimali conveys a sense of something that has a measurable chance of occurring, rather than a simple possibility.

In usage, ihtimali appears in formal, technical, or analytical writing related to forecasting, risk assessment, economics, and planning. It is often paired with modifiers to indicate degree, such as yüksek ihtimalle or ihtimali olarak, to express high probability or probability-based considerations. While ihtimali is understood similarly to the more common muhtemel or olası, it carries a nuance tied to probabilistic evaluation and statistical thinking. The form can modify nouns (ihtimali sonuç = probable outcomes; ihtimali maliyet = probable cost) or be used substantively in discussions of likelihood.

Etymology traces ihtimali to Arabic origins through Turkish adaptation, reflecting historical exchanges in science, administration, and scholarship. In contemporary Turkish, muhtemel and olası are more frequent in everyday language, whereas ihtimali remains prominent in technical, legal, and formal discourse where a precise reference to probability is desired.