expectant

American  

[ik-spek-tuhnt] / ɪkˈspɛk tənt /

adjective

1. having expectations; expecting.

   an excited, expectant audience.

2. pregnant; expecting.

   an expectant mother.

3. characterized by expectations.

   an expectant attitude.

4. in expectation; expected; prospective.

   an expectant fortune.

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noun

1. a person who expects or who waits in expectation.

expectant British  

/ ɪkˈspɛktənt /

adjective

1. expecting, anticipating, or hopeful

   an expectant glance

2. having expectations, esp of possession of something or prosperity

3. pregnant

   an expectant mother

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noun

1. a person who expects something

2. obsolete a candidate for office, esp for ecclesiastical preferment

Other Word Forms

• expectantly adverb
• half-expectant adjective
• half-expectantly adverb
• nonexpectant adjective
• nonexpectantly adverb
• overexpectant adjective
• overexpectantly adverb
• preexpectant noun
• quasi-expectant adjective
• quasi-expectantly adverb
• unexpectant adjective
• unexpectantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of expectant

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin expectant- (stem of expectāns ), present participle of expectāre to expect; -ant

Example Sentences

Wilson said there was still "plenty of work to be done" to raise awareness of the condition with expectant parents, the public, as well as healthcare professionals.

From BBC

They said the measures they have established on top of the regulations, including personalised plans for areas such as nutrition, psycho-social and wellbeing, physiotherapy and sleep help "break down barriers" for expectant mothers.

From BBC

She was dangerously thin, I felt, for an expectant mother, and several times I brought her a portion of my own breakfast bread.

From Literature

Here, at a heaving Murrayfield stuffed with the expectant French, they found their complete self.

From BBC

Rachel was standing, staring right at me with an expectant smile on her face.

From Literature