prospective
/pɹəˈspɛktɪv/ adjective, noun
Forms prospectives
- adjective Likely or expected to happen or become. “Prospective students are those who have already applied to the university, but have yet to be admitted.”
- adjective Anticipated in the near or far future.
- adjective Of or relating to a prospect; furnishing a prospect.
- adjective Looking forward in time; acting with foresight.
- adjective (medicine, of research) Being a study that starts with the present situation and follows participants into the future
- adjective (grammar) 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.”
- noun (obsolete) The scene before or around, in time or in space; view; prospect.
- noun (obsolete) A perspective glass.
- noun (informal, often plural) A prospective (potential) member, student, employee, date, partner, etc. “Would you like to show the prospective around?”
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle French prospectif, from Late Latin prospectivus. See more at English prospect.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to a prospect; furnishing a prospect; perspective. [Obs.]
- adjective Looking forward in time; acting with foresight; --opposed to retrospective.
- noun The scene before or around, in time or in space; view; prospect.
- noun A perspective glass. [Obs.] Chaucer. Beau. & Fl.
Etymology [L. prospectivus: cf. F. prospectif. See Prospect, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “prospective”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details