prospective

pro·spec·tive

adjective \prə-ˈspek-tiv also ˈprä-ˌ, prō-ˈ, prä-ˈ\

Definition of PROSPECTIVE

1

: relating to or effective in the future

2

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

Examples of PROSPECTIVE

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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

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

pro·spec·tive

adjective \prə-ˈspek-tiv\   (Medical Dictionary)

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\ (audio pronunciation) adverb