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Where does the word "prospect" come from? It comes from Latin prospicere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
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Where does the word "prospect" come from? It comes from Latin prospicere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Prospect’s story begins in Latin: prospicere meant “to look forward.” To look forward, from pro- (forward) and specere (to look). It reached English by 1400s as prospect. Settled as the English word for a possibility or expectation of future success. Today, prospect means the possibility of something happening in the future, or a wide view.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient prospicere "to look forward", to look forward, from pro- (forward) and specere (to look).
- Stage 2 · English · 1400s prospect "the possibility of future success or something happening", settled as the English word for a possibility or expectation of future success.