foresight

[ fawr-sahyt, fohr- ]

/ ˈfɔrˌsaɪt, ˈfoʊr- /

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.

a sight or reading taken on a forward point.
(in leveling) a rod reading on a point the elevation of which is to be determined.

Nearby words

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.

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 foresightful

The men who did the tasks were not creatures of the day, but foresightful beyond the average of mortals.
Domesticated Animals|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler

British Dictionary definitions for foresightful

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 foresightful

foresight

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