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

From November 11th to March 10th, 2026 the prosperous planet will be moonwalking. —Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 5 June 2025

Series follows a first-generation Quebec entrepreneur, who came from nothing to built a prosperous business, and the image points to the atmosphere of the business world in the 1990s. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 29 May 2025

Among the impacts was a prosperous Black community known as Oscarville, where more than 1,000 people were forced out by white individuals from Forsyth County, Teen Vogue reported. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 16 May 2025

The castle’s golden age arrived during the Rasulid dynasty (1229-1454), which established one of Yemen’s most prosperous and culturally rich periods. —Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 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