prosperity

American  

[pro-sper-i-tee] / prɒˈspɛr ɪ ti /

noun

plural

prosperities

1. a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects; good fortune.

2. prosperities, prosperous circumstances, characterized by financial success or good fortune.

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prosperity British  

/ prɒˈspɛrɪtɪ /

noun

1. the condition of prospering; success or wealth

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Usage

What does prosperity mean? Prosperity is success or the state of success, especially financial or material success. Prosperity often implies success in terms of wealth, health, and happiness. But it can also be used more broadly. The verb prosper means to achieve prosperity. Someone who achieves prosperity can be described as prosperous. The word prosperity is often paired with words like peace and wealth, such as when wishing people well, as in May your year be full of peace and prosperity. Example: You can achieve prosperity through dedication and hard work.

Other Word Forms

• nonprosperity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of prosperity

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prosperite, from Old French, from Latin prosperitās; see prosperous, -ity

Explanation

Use prosperity to refer to the state of being successful. In the US, the decades following World War II were characterized by rising prosperity, with large numbers moving into the middle class. Prosperity usually means the type of success that comes from having a lot of money. Our modern English word derives from Middle English prosperite, borrowed through Old French from Latin prosperus "favorable." The Latin word also means "fortunate," and the word prosperity does have an element of good luck.

Example Sentences

Especially propitious for future U.S. prosperity is that private payrolls are rising while another category of labor continues to fall, as BLS notes:

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Those years included periods of unexampled prosperity and the growth of a strong middle class in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

"Here, people smile at me, speak kindly. The villagers who are participating in this festival believe that if they get blessing from transgender people, they will have prosperity in their life," she says.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

But the city’s prosperity proved difficult to sustain in the later half of the 20th century, as regional businesses consolidated and corporate headquarters drifted to larger cities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Sociologist E. Franklin Frazier called Durham the “Capital of the Black Middle Class,” but prosperity never went much beyond Parrish Street.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• accomplishment
• benefit
• boom
• expansion
• growth
• inflation
• interest
• riches
• success
• wealth
• welfare
• well-being