Dictionary

prospective en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /pɹəˈspɛktɪv/

Etymology

From Middle French prospectif, from Late Latin prospectivus. See more at English prospect.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Likely or expected to happen or become.
   • Prospective students are those who have already applied to the university, but have yet to be admitted.
2. (not-comparable) Anticipated in the near or far future.
   • A short distance above I-ch’ang is the prospective site of a hydroelectric dam that has vast promise for the industrialization of central China. 1968, Herold Jacob Wiens, “I-CH’ANG”, in Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 11, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 1054, column 1:
3. (not-comparable) Of or relating to a prospect; furnishing a prospect.
   • And in times long and dark Proſpective Glaſs / Fore-ſaw what future dayes ſhould bring to paſs, 1626 (date written), John Milton, “At a Vacation Exercise in the Colledge, […]”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], published 1673, →OCLC, page 67:
4. (not-comparable) Looking forward in time; acting with foresight.
   • 1668-1690, Josiah Child, A new discourse of trade The French king, and the king of Sweden are […] circumspect, industrious, and prospective, too, in this affair.
5. (not-comparable, of research) Being a study that starts with the present situation and follows participants into the future
6. (not-comparable) Indicating grammatically an activity about to begin.
   • What some other languages convey with prospective aspect, English conveys with expressions like going to drive the car home.

Deriveds

prospectiveness · prospectively · pseudoprospective · unprospective

Translations (32)

de prospektiv (likely or expected to happen or become) · gd dòchasach (likely or expected to happen or become) · ca prospectiu (following the same population) · tr olası (likely or expected to happen or become) · ru предполага́емый (likely or expected to happen or become) · pt prospectivo (following the same population) · hu jövendőbeli (likely or expected to happen or become) · it eventuale (likely or expected to happen or become) · cs nastávající (likely or expected to happen or become) · pt prospetivo (following the same population) · bg очакван (likely or expected to happen or become) · fr prospectif (following the same population) · de zukünftig (likely or expected to happen or become) · ru перспекти́вный (likely or expected to happen or become) · es prospectivo (likely or expected to happen or become) · ca prospectiu (likely or expected to happen or become) · fi tuleva (likely or expected to happen or become) · fi mahdollinen (likely or expected to happen or become) · it probabile (likely or expected to happen or become) · de voraussichtlich (likely or expected to happen or become) · de künftig (likely or expected to happen or become) · ka პოტენციური (likely or expected to happen or become) · tr muhtemel (likely or expected to happen or become) · fr prospectif (likely or expected to happen or become) · ru потенциа́льный (likely or expected to happen or become) · es prospectivo (following the same population) · pt prospectivo (likely or expected to happen or become) · it prospettivo (following the same population) · el ενδεχόμενος (likely or expected to happen or become) · ka სავარაუდო (likely or expected to happen or become) · ka მოსალოდნელი (following the same population) · is tilvonandi (likely or expected to happen or become)

prospective en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /pɹəˈspɛktɪv/

Etymology

From Middle French prospectif, from Late Latin prospectivus. See more at English prospect.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) The scene before or around, in time or in space; view; prospect.
   • the whole Scene of affairs was changed from Spain to France there now lay the prospective 1642, Henry Wotton, A Short View of the Life and Death of George Villiers:
2. (obsolete) A perspective glass.
   • [T]hey [two pavillions] were trimmed on the inside with rich armour and military furniture, hanged up as upon the walls; and behind the tents there were represented, in prospective, the tops of divers other tents, as if it had been a camp. 1613 March 2 (first performance), Francis Beaumont, “The Masque of the Inner-Temple and Gray’s Inn, Gray’s Inn and the Inner-Temple; […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Ben Jonson, and Beaumont and Fletcher: […], volume IV, London: […] John Stockdale, […], published 1811, →OCLC, page 573, column 2:
3. (informal, often, plural) A prospective (potential) member, student, employee, date, partner, etc.
   • Would you like to show the prospective around?
   • At the moment, meeting interesting, 'could be, maybe not' prospectives around the globe keeps her entertained. 2006, Verve: The Spirit of Today's Woman, volume 14, numbers 4-6, page 114:
   • I'm meeting the prospectives at 3.

Forms

Relateds

inchoative