prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈprä-sp(ə-)rəs 

1

: auspicious, favorable

2

a

: marked by success or economic well-being

b

: enjoying vigorous and healthy growth : flourishing

prosperously adverb

prosperousness noun

Synonyms

• booming
• boomy
• flourishing
• golden
• halcyon
• healthy
• lush
• palmy
• prospering
• roaring
• successful
• thriving

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

The company had a prosperous year.

He predicted a prosperous future.

Recent Examples on the Web

The story is set in Wakanda, a prosperous, futuristic country led by King T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman. —Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025

The new moon on May 26 is the perfect time to plant some prosperous seeds toward professional goals and make plans to boost your bank account. —Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 28 Apr. 2025

Helping others can lead to a prosperous, meaningful career. —Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

China could make the case that the endpoint for a prosperous and stable society looks like what is on offer in Beijing rather than in Paris and New York. —Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, (of omens) propitious" (going back to *pro-sparo-, from pro- pro- entry 2 + *sparo-, going back to Indo-European *sph₁-ró- "thriving") + -ous -ous — more at speed entry 1

Note: An apparently traditional explanation is recorded by the fourth/fifth century grammarian Nonius Marcellus, namely, that prosperus was in origin from the phrase prō spērē "in conformity with one's hope" (spērē being taken as a variant of spē, ablative of spēs "hope"), though this may best be regarded as a folk etymology. It fails to account for the short e in prosperus.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈpräs-p(ə-)rəs 

1

: having or showing success or financial good fortune

2

: strong and healthy in growth

prosperously adverb