prospective

adjective pro·spec·tive \prə-ˈspek-tiv also ˈprä-ˌ, prō-ˈ, prä-ˈ\

: likely to be or become something specified in the future

: likely to happen

Full Definition of PROSPECTIVE

: relating to or effective in the future

a : likely to come about : expected <the prospective benefits of this law>

b : likely to be or become <a prospective mother>

— pro·spec·tive·ly adverb

See prospective defined for English-language learners

See prospective defined for kids

Examples of PROSPECTIVE

In 2005 [Jerry] Colangelo arranged face-to-face sit-downs with every prospective national team player, to hear in their own words why they wanted to represent their country. —Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2008
All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral. —Joe Klein, Time, 21 Aug. 2006
All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes. —Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings …, 1996
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Origin of PROSPECTIVE

(see ¹prospect)

First Known Use: circa 1699

Rhymes with PROSPECTIVE

advective, affective, bijective, collective, connective, convective, corrective, defective, deflective, detective, directive, effective, elective, ejective, infective, inflective, injective, invective, objective, perfective, perspective, projective, protective, reflective, respective, selective, subjective

PROSPECTIVELY Defined for Kids

prospective

adjective pro·spec·tive \prə-ˈspek-tiv, ˈprä-ˌspek-\

Definition of PROSPECTIVE for Kids

: likely to become <a prospective buyer>

: likely to come about <prospective benefits>

Medical Dictionary

prospective

adjective pro·spec·tive \prə-ˈspek-tiv\

Medical Definition of PROSPECTIVE

: relating to or being a study (as of the incidence of disease) that starts with the present condition of a population of individuals and follows them into the future—compare retrospective

—pro·spec·tive·ly \-lē\ adverb