noun

prospect

PROS-pehkt

noun

The possibility or likelihood of something happening in the future.

"The prospect of a pay rise motivated her to work harder."

"There is little prospect of the weather improving this week."

A person who might become a customer, employee, or promising athlete.

"The scout flagged him as a top prospect for the draft."

verb

To search an area for valuable minerals such as gold.

"They prospected for gold along the riverbank."

How to Use Prospect

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the chance that something will happen, a promising candidate, or (as a verb) to search for valuable minerals.

Common pairings

future prospects job prospect prospect for gold

prospected past tense, prospected past tense, prospects plural, prospects singular, prospects singular

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The _____ of a pay rise motivated her to work harder.

From Latin prospectus ("a view, outlook"), from prospicio ("to look forward"), from pro- ("forward") + specio ("to look"). A doublet of "prospectus."

retrospect