What is the difference between probably and possibly?

Answer 1

Both relate to uncertain events at least in the mind of the speaker.

Possibility used in a sentence:

"There's a possibility that he will arrive late."

As used there's some uncertainty or doubt to his time of arrival. There is doubt that he will arrive on time and a chance he will arrive late. Both events can occur. In fact he could arrive early.

On the other hand, probability goes further in identifying the degree of uncertainty:

"There's a high probability that he will arrive late."

Finally, probability theory is an area of mathematics.

possibility

noun

1.a future prospect or potential; "this room has great possibilities"

2.capability of existing or happening or being true; "there is a possibility that his sense of smell has been impaired" [ant: impossibility]

3.a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices" [syn: hypothesis]

4.a possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility"

probability

noun

1.a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible; "the probability that an unbiased coin will fall with the head up is 0.5"

2.the quality of being probable; a probable event or the most probable event; "for a while mutiny seemed a probability"; "going by past experience there was a high probability that the visitors were lost" [ant: improbability]

Answer 2

possible means that it may or may not happen, while probable means it is more likely to happen than not.

The term "Probable" refers to more likely to happen something than the term "Possible" refers to. It means that "Probable" is stronger than "Possible"

Answer 3

When something is probable it is more likeley than not to happen when something is possible it is not likely to happen, generaly with a probability of something like 1/10000000, but it can still happen.