expectant
pronunciation
How to pronounce expectant in British English:
UK [ɪkˈspektənt]
How to pronounce expectant in American English:
US [ɪkˈspɛktənt]
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- Adjective:
- marked by eager anticipation
- in an advanced stage of pregnancy
Word Origin
- expectant (adj.)
- late 14c., from Old French expectant or directly from Latin expectantem/exspectantem (nominative expectans/exspectans), present participle of expectare/exspectare "await, desire, hope" (see expect). Meaning "pregnant" is by 1861. Related: Expectantly. As a noun, "one who waits in expectation," from 1620s.
Synonym
Example
- 1. A sudden roar came from the expectant crowd .
- 2. Every expectant mother had to have one .
- 3. There 's an amazing amount of information for expectant mothers on the web .
- 4. Children with expectant faces waiting for the pantomime to start .
- 5. European doctors now routinely use the tests to help expectant parents whose offspring are at risk for rare gender-linked disorders determine whether they need invasive and costly genetic testing .