different between foresight vs prospective

English

Etymology

From Middle English forsight, forsyght, forsichte, equivalent to fore- +? sight. Compare Scots foresicht (“foresight”), Saterland Frisian Foarsicht (“caution”), West Frisian foarútsjoch (“foresight”), Dutch voorzicht (“foresight”), German Vorsicht (“caution; care; attention”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f??sa?t/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f??sa?t/
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /?fo(?)?sa?t/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /?fo?sa?t/
• Homophone: Forsythe (in accents with the horse-hoarse merger)
• Hyphenation: fore?sight

Noun

foresight (countable and uncountable, plural foresights)

1. The ability to foresee or prepare wisely for the future.
2. the front sight on a rifle or similar weapon
3. (surveying) a bearing taken forwards towards a new object

Synonyms

• (ability to foresee or prepare wisely for the future): prescience, foreknowledge, divination, clairvoyance, prophecy

Antonyms

• hindsight

Derived terms

• foresightly
• foresighty

Related terms

• foresee
• backsight

Translations

Anagrams

• gift horse, gift-horse

English

Etymology

From Middle French prospectif, from Late Latin prospectivus

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???sp?kt?v/
• Rhymes: -?kt?v

Adjective

prospective (not comparable)

1. Likely or expected to happen or become.

2. Anticipated in the near or far future.
3. Of or relating to a prospect; furnishing a prospect.
4. Looking forward in time; acting with foresight.
   • 1668-1690, Josiah Child, A new discourse of trade

     The French king, and the king of Sweden are […] circumspect, industrious, and prospective, too, in this affair.

5. (medicine, of research) A study that starts with the present situation and follows participants into the future
6. (grammar) Indicating grammatically an activity about to begin.

Translations

Noun

prospective (plural prospectives)

1. (obsolete) The scene before or around, in time or in space; view; prospect.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir H. Wotton to this entry?)

2. (obsolete) A perspective glass.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)
3. (informal, often plural) A prospective (potential) member, student, employee, date, partner, etc.
   • 2006, Verve: The Spirit of Today's Woman, volume 14, issues 4-6, page 114:

     At the moment, meeting interesting, 'could be, maybe not' prospectives around the globe keeps her entertained.

See also

• inchoative

References

• prospective at OneLook Dictionary Search
• prospective in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• prospective in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• prospective aspect on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

French

Adjective

prospective

1. feminine singular of prospectif