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

"But life expectancy nationally is lower now than it was before the pandemic," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

It is incurable, with a median life expectancy of 12 to 18 months—in other words, a death sentence.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

In 2024, life expectancy at birth was 79 years for the total U.S. population, with female life expectancy of 81.4 and male life expectancy of 76.5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Life expectancy increased to 77 years in 2023 from 62 in 1986, according to the World Bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Do you know—you probably do know—that in enemy territory the life expectancy of a w/op, or W/T operator as they say in SOE, is only six weeks?

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein