expectant

[ik-spek-tuhnt]

adjective

1. having expectations; expecting.

   an excited, expectant audience.

2. pregnant; expecting.

   an expectant mother.

3. characterized by expectations.

   an expectant attitude.

4. in expectation; expected; prospective.

   an expectant fortune.

noun

1. a person who expects or who waits in expectation.

expectant

/ ɪkˈspɛktənt /

adjective

1. expecting, anticipating, or hopeful

   an expectant glance

2. having expectations, esp of possession of something or prosperity

3. pregnant

   an expectant mother

noun

1. a person who expects something

2. obsolete,  a candidate for office, esp for ecclesiastical preferment

Other Word Forms

• expectantly adverb
• half-expectant adjective
• half-expectantly adverb
• nonexpectant adjective
• nonexpectantly adverb
• overexpectant adjective
• overexpectantly adverb
• preexpectant noun
• quasi-expectant adjective
• quasi-expectantly adverb
• unexpectant adjective
• unexpectantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of expectant¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin expectant- (stem of expectāns ), present participle of expectāre to expect; -ant

Example Sentences

Dr Reed said she expects to have many more of these conversations with expectant mothers going forward, to re-assure them that research does not show a conclusive link between Tylenol and the disorder.

From BBC

Judging by the photos his father provides, he dressed smartly, with a sharp haircut and an expectant smile.

From BBC

Maternity services at Dr Gray's were downgraded in 2018 due to staff shortages, meaning most expectant mothers in the area had to travel to Aberdeen for births.

From BBC

Instead, England silenced Serbia's fans from the start, dominating possession, giving those expectant supporters no chance to turn up the volume.

From BBC

Thousands of expectant mothers in the East of England have taken up a new NHS service and more are being encouraged to take part.

From BBC