noun

1. a slender, blunt surgical instrument for exploring a wound or the like
2. the act of probing
3. a searching examination; specif.,
   1. ☆ an investigation, as by a legislative committee, into corruption, etc.
   2. an exploratory advance or patrol
4. ☆ an instrumented spacecraft for exploring the upper atmosphere, space, or a celestial body in order to get information about the environment, physical properties, etc.
5. any of various devices, as a Pitot tube or electrode, inserted into an environment for measuring, testing, etc.

Etymology: LL proba, proof (in ML, examination) < L probare, to test, prove < probus, good, proper < IE *probhwos (> Sans prabhúḥ, outstanding) < base *pro, forward + *bhū, to grow > be

transitive verb probed, probing prob′·ing

1. to explore (a wound, etc.) with a probe
2. to investigate or examine with great thoroughness

intransitive verb