prospect
PROSS-pekt
/ˈprɒspɛkt/
The possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.
Can refer to a mental picture of the future or a potential candidate/opportunity.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'prospectus', meaning a 'view' or 'outlook.' It originally described a physical view from a high place before it meant a view of the future.
Word relationships
- possibility: Prospect often implies a more detailed or visual expectation than possibility.
- retrospect: Retrospect is looking back; prospect is looking forward.
Commonly confused with
- perspective: Perspective is a point of view; prospect is a future possibility.
Word family
- prospective (adjective): likely to happen or be in the future
- prospector (noun): a person who searches for mineral deposits
Collocations
- daunting prospect
- exciting prospect
- job prospects
Idioms & expressions
- in prospect
Example sentences
- "The prospect of a promotion kept her working late every night." Career
- "The prospect of finding gold drew thousands of miners to the hills." Exploration
Memory hook
'Pro' (forward) + 'spect' (look) = Looking forward to a view. A forward look.
When not to use
Don't use for things that are already happening; it must be a future possibility.
Fun facts
- In the 18th century, a 'prospect' was a popular term for a landscape painting.
Related words
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