expectancy

/ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nsi/US/ɪkˈspɛktənsi/

expectancy noun: expectation or anticipation; the state of expecting something.

Noun

expectancy (countable and uncountable, plural expectancies)

Expectation or anticipation; the state of expecting something.
- [T]he Dukes dissembled their feares, and dissolued their forces, and remained in expectancie what would ensue.1599, John Hayward, The First Part of the Life and Raigne of King Henrie IIII. Extending to the end of the first yeare of his raigne, London: John Woolfe, page 39
- If you foresee not this misery, and the fatall consequence which necessarily must follow such a turn of Fortune, I must leave you to your own will and expectancy […]1651, John Milton, The Life and Reigne of King Charls, London: W. Reybold, page 110
The state of being expected.
Future interest as to possession or enjoyment
expectation; expected value
(obsolete) Something expected or awaited.
- 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 […]c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
- […] Frederic II. King of Prussia, in consequence of an expectancy granted to the house of Brandenburg, by the Emperor Leopold in 1604, took possession of East Friezland […]1791, John Trusler, chapter 9, in The Habitable World Described, volume 10, London: for the author, page 157

எதிர்பார்ப்பு

expectation, anticipation, eagerness: ആശ, പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കൽ, പ്രതീക്ഷണം, കാത്തിരിക്കൽ, ഫലകാംക്ഷ, ഫലാഗ്രഹം
probability, likelihood, outlook: പ്രത്യാശ, സംഭാവ്യത, സാദ്ധ്യത, സംഭാവ്യകാര്യം, ഭാവിവീക്ഷണം, മാനസികവീക്ഷണം

ಕಾದಿರಿಕೆ

[T]his is generally thought to repreſent the Vices of Nero, vvho […] did from the higheſt Expectancy become a ſtubborn and a fooliſh Tyrant.1735, Titus Petronius Arbiter, “The Feast of Trimalchio, Imitaded. From Titus Petronius Arbiter. Convivium Sybariticum. Præludium.”, in...
When half a year wasted in vain expectancy, my hope died out; and then I felt dark indeed.1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter VIII, in Jane Eyre. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder, and Co....
Six minutes later Clovis approached the supper-table, in the blessed expectancy of one who has dined sketchily and long ago.1912, Saki, “The Match-Maker”, in The Chronicles of Clovis, London: John Lane, page 23:
That’s still shy of the 78.8-year life expectancy from 2019, but it’s a significant improvement driven by lower death rates in each of the 10 leading causes of death.2024 December 19, Deidre McPhillips, “US life expectancy has rebounded closer to pre-pandemic levels”, in CNN:

plural	expectancies
alternative form	expectance

From expectant + -cy or expect + -ancy.

What does expectancy mean?: Expectancy means expectation or anticipation; the state of expecting something.
What is expectancy in Tamil?: Expectancy in Tamil is எதிர்பார்ப்பு. See Expectancy meaning in Tamil.
How do you use expectancy in a sentence?: [T]his is generally thought to repreſent the Vices of Nero, vvho […] did from the higheſt Expectancy become a ſtubborn and a fooliſh Tyrant.
What part of speech is expectancy?: Expectancy is a noun.
How do you pronounce expectancy?: Expectancy is pronounced /ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nsi/ (UK).
What is the plural of expectancy?: The plural of expectancy is expectancies.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-expectancy.wav.

Cite this entry: “expectancy.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/expectancy. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.