From Latin *probare* ("to test, to prove"), from *probus* ("good, honest"). The Latin root also gave English "prove" and "probe," but Italian *provare* broadened to cover both testing/trying and experiencing feelings — a semantic shift that happened during the medieval period.

*Provare* does double duty that often trips up learners. It means "to try" (provare un vestito = to try on a dress) but also "to feel" an emotion (provare gioia = to feel joy). In music and theatre, *una prova* means a rehearsal — so "provare" is also what actors and singers do before a performance. Don't confuse it with *tentare*, which implies a more difficult or risky attempt.