What is putative?

Putative refers to something that is commonly believed, assumed, or thought to be true, but has not been confirmed or verified. This term is often used in scientific research to refer to a hypothesis or theory that is being studied but has not yet been proven. In many cases, putative findings are subject to further investigation and scrutiny before being accepted as true. Putative can also refer to individuals who are thought to have a certain attribute, such as a putative father who is believed to be a child's biological parent but has not been confirmed through genetic testing.