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prosperous

[ pros-per-uhs ]
/ ˈprɒs pər əs /
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adjective
having or characterized by financial success or good fortune; flourishing; successful: a prosperous business.
well-to-do or well-off: a prosperous family.
favorable or propitious.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as


Origin of prosperous

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin prosperus

OTHER WORDS FROM prosperous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT PROSPEROUS

What does prosperous mean?

Prosperous means successful, especially in a financial or material way.

It can be used to describe people, groups, or institutions like businesses.

The word is typically used to describe people who have achieved success in terms of wealth, health, and happiness. But it can also be used broadly, much like the words successful, thriving, and flourishing.

Prosperous is based on the verb prosper, which means to be successful. You can say that someone is prospering in the present, but the word is perhaps most commonly used in the context of what will happen in the future. The word prospering can be used as an adjective to mean the same thing as prosperous. The related noun prosperity refers to a state of success.

Example: If we can continue to maintain this level of quality, our company will continue to be prosperous.

Where does prosperous come from?

The first records of the word prosperous come from the 1400s. It comes from the Latin term prosperus. The verb prosper comes from the Latin verb prosperāre, meaning “to make happy.”

To say that someone is prosperous usually implies that they have achieved financial wealth, but it almost always implies that they have found happiness or contentment in their success. In other words, to be prosperous is usually to be successful in a healthy way—to thrive. The word is most often used in the context of a people’s careers and successful businesses.

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What are some other forms related to prosperous?

  • prosperously (adverb)
  • prosperousness (noun)
  • prosper (verb)

What are some synonyms for prosperous?

What are some words that share a root or word element with prosperous? 

 

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing prosperous?

 

How is prosperous used in real life?

Prosperous is usually used in a positive way in the discussion of financial success. It’s somewhat formal compared to a synonym like successful.

 

 

Try using prosperous!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of prosperous?

A. flourishing
B. thriving
C. successful
D. withering

How to use prosperous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prosperous

prosperous
/ (ˈprɒspərəs) /

adjective
flourishing; prospering
rich; affluent; wealthy
favourable or promising

Derived forms of prosperous

prosperously, adverbprosperousness, 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
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