Expectancy

//ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nsi// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Expectation or anticipation; the state of expecting something. countable, uncountable

    "[T]he Dukes dissembled their feares, and dissolued their forces, and remained in expectancie what would ensue."

  2. 2
    something expected (as on the basis of a norm) wordnet
  3. 3
    The state of being expected. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    an expectation wordnet
  5. 5
    Future interest as to possession or enjoyment countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    expectation; expected value countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    Something expected or awaited. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! / The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword, / Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state […]"

Synonyms

All synonyms
anticipationanticipationcertaintyconfidencecontemplationexpectation

Example

More examples

"Suicide is a leading cause of death in the country with the longest life expectancy."

Etymology

From expectant + -cy or expect + -ancy.

Related phrases

disconfirmed expectancylife expectancy

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.