Putative

First attested 1432, from Middle French putatif, from Latin putÄtÄ«vus ("supposed, purported"), from putÄtus ("thought"), from putÅ ("").

Full definition of putative

Commonly believed or deemed to be the case; accepted by supposition rather than as a result of proof.

1879, Maurice Mauris, "A Materialistic Artist," New York Times, 9 Nov., p. 10:The lady . . . insisted upon going herself, requesting me to mind for a second the baby. . . . lo! the baby awoke and stared at me with a pair of big frightened eyes, which the little thing in another moment rolled in all directions, as if in search of its putative mother.
1989, William Colby and , "US must support Thailand if Cambodia is to survive," Milwaukee Sentinel (Los Angeles Times Service), 28 Oct. (retrieved 15 Sep. 2009):Just as Prince Sihanouk is fronting for the Khmer Rouge today . . . so also was he their putative leader from 1970 to 1975.
2006, Unmesh Kher, "No Neat Endings for the JonBenet Case," Time, 18 Aug.:Karr's past does raise suspicions. When he was arrested in Bangkok, he was living in a dormitory-like guesthouse in a neighborhood frequented by sex tourists. . . . Of course, Karr's putative pedophilia would not make him guilty of murder.