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expectancy

4 ENTRIES FOUND:

ex·pec·tan·cy

noun \-tən(t)-sē\
plural ex·pec·tan·cies

Definition of EXPECTANCY

1
a : the act, action, or state of expecting <the strange expectancy that getting on any train gives us — John Updike> b : the state of being expected <occurs with an expectancy slightly greater than usual>
2
a : something expected <their belief led to an expectancy> b : the expected amount (as of the number of years of life) based on statistical probability <life expectancy>

Examples of EXPECTANCY

  1. <that feeling of optimistic expectancy that fills theatergoers as they wait for the curtain to rise>

First Known Use of EXPECTANCY

1600

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