prospect
prospect Lexical Profile
prospect Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring, or the anticipation of something.
"There is little prospect of an immediate breakthrough in the negotiations."
A person regarded as a potential customer, client, or successful candidate.
"The sales team spent the afternoon cold-calling new business prospects."
An extensive view of landscape.
"From the mountain summit, they admired the breathtaking prospect of the valley below."
• verb
To look out for or search for potential customers, clients, or opportunities.
"She uses professional networking sites to prospect for new sales leads every morning."
To search for mineral deposits in a place, especially by means of experimental drilling or excavation.
"During the mid-nineteenth century, thousands of hopeful miners arrived in California to prospect for gold."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with 'perspective'; 'prospect' refers to anticipation, future possibilities, or looking forward, while 'perspective' refers to a point of view or the way one regards situations.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Late Middle English: from Latin prospectus 'view, outlook', from the verb prospicere 'look forward', from pro- 'forward' + specere 'to look'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.