definitions

foresight

[ fawr-sahyt, fohr- ]
/ ˈfɔrˌsaɪt, ˈfoʊr- /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR foresight ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.
the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.
an act of looking forward.
knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.
Surveying.
  1. a sight or reading taken on a forward point.
  2. (in leveling) a rod reading on a point the elevation of which is to be determined.

RELATED WORDS

circumspection, sagacity, judgment, carefulness, wisdom, foresight, providence, preparedness, planning, discretion, forethought, caution, precaution, provident

Nearby words

foreshore, foreshorten, foreshots, foreshow, foreside, foresight, foreskin, foresleeve, forespeak, forespent, forest

Origin of foresight

First recorded in 1250–1300, foresight is from the Middle English word forsight. See fore-, sight
SYNONYMS FOR foresight
1 See prudence.
4 foreknowledge.
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR foresight ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formsfore·sight·ed, adjectivefore·sight·ed·ly, adverbfore·sight·ed·ness, nounfore·sight·ful, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for foresightedness

  • And with her customary cleverness and foresightedness she called him up at the hospital.

    From the Housetops|George Barr McCutcheon

  • This single word impresses upon us the foresightedness with which he anticipates metaphysical doctrines of modern Germany.

    The Development of Metaphysics in Persia|Muhammad Iqbal

  • His spirit of determination, his persistence, his foresightedness, seem to me the predominant traits in a well-rounded character.

    The Story of General Pershing|Everett T. (Everett Titsworth) Tomlinson

British Dictionary definitions for foresightedness

foresight

/ (ˈfɔːˌsaɪt) /

noun

provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc
the act or ability of foreseeing
the act of looking forward
surveying a reading taken looking forwards to a new station, esp in levelling from a point of known elevation to a point the elevation of which is to be determinedCompare backsight
the front sight on a firearm
Derived Formsforesighted, adjectiveforesightedly, adverbforesightedness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for foresightedness

foresight

n.

c.1300, from fore- + sight (n.). Cf. German Vorsicht.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper