expectancy

American  

[ik-spek-tuhn-see] / ɪkˈspɛk tən si /

Also expectance

noun

plural

expectancies

1. the quality or state of expecting; expectation; anticipatory belief or desire.

2. the state of being expected.

3. an object of expectation; something expected.

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expectancy British  

/ ɪkˈspɛktənsɪ /

noun

1. something expected, esp on the basis of a norm or average

   his life expectancy was 30 years

2. anticipation; expectation

3. the prospect of a future interest or possession, esp in property

   an estate in expectancy

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Etymology

Origin of expectancy

From the Medieval Latin word ex(s)pectantia, dating back to 1590–1600. See expectant, -ancy

Explanation

Expectancy is the state of thinking (or hoping) that something will happen. You can sense the expectancy in the crowd just before your favorite band takes the stage. Use this word to talk about a sense of anticipation, like your little brother's expectancy every year on his birthday that someone will throw him a surprise party. It's also used to mean "an expected amount," especially in the context of life expectancy, or the average length of a person's life: "Typically, women have a longer life expectancy than men do." Expectancy is from expect, from a Latin root meaning "look for."

Example Sentences

Surgery is a better choice for a person under 65 who has a longer life expectancy, said Dr. Lars Svensson, chairman of the Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

But medical advances and growing life expectancy have also made such deaths much rarer.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

Today, overall life expectancy in the U.S. is an average age of 79, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Over time, the disease worsens, and life expectancy is significantly reduced.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

As the hands on the big clock closed in on nine o’clock, the air buzzed with expectancy, like the tension before a prizefight.

From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose