expectation
nounCA, US, UK /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/ · AU, NZ /ˌek.spekˈtæɪ.ʃən/
Etymology From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectātiō, from exspectō (“expect”). By surface analysis, expect + -ation. Displaced native Old English wēn.
8 senses
- 1The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an…
- 2That which is expected or looked for.
- 3An implicit obligation or duty held by another in someone's view.
- 4The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something…
- 5The value of any chance (as the prospect of prize or…
- 6The first moment; the expected value; the long-run…
- 7The arithmetic mean.
- 8The leaving of a disease principally to the efforts of…
The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.
- “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
That which is expected or looked for.
- And so it had always pleased M. Stutz to expect great things from the dark young man whom he had first seen in his early twenties ; and his expectations had waxed rather than waned on hearing the faint bruit of the love of Ivor and Virginia—for Virginia, M. Stutz thought, would bring fineness to a point in a man like Ivor Marlay,[…].1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./1/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
- Thus the B.R. diesel fleet today is composed of a rather assorted collection of designs. Some have proved to be remarkably satisfactory in service; others have so far not come up to expectations and I suppose it is doubtful whether any more orders for some types will be forthcoming.1961 March, B.A. Haresnape, “Design on the railway”, in Trains Illustrated, page 145:
1 more example
- I entered early adulthood with the same expectation: I would marry, and my husband would manage our money.2026 April 22, Jillian Sanders, “The Danger of Surrendering Your Financial Independence in a Relationship”, in TIME, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2026:
An implicit obligation or duty held by another in someone's view.
- He struggled with his parents' expectations.
The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to occur; prospect of anything good to come, especially of property or rank.
- Emma was not sorry to be pressed. She read, and was surprized. The style of the letter was much above her expectation. There were not merely no grammatical errors, but as a composition it would not have disgraced a gentleman; the language, though plain, was strong and unaffected, and the sentiments it conveyed very much to the credit of the writer. It was short, but expressed good sense, warm attachment, liberality, propriety, even delicacy of feeling. She paused over it, while Harriet stood anxiously watching for her opinion, with a "Well, well," and was at last forced to add, "Is it a good letter? or is it too short?"1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter 7, in Emma: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC:
- Charles Penrhyn, for he was the object of Louisa's preference, had expectations—that term, so vague when those expectations depend upon others.1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 108:
The value of any chance (as the prospect of prize or property) which depends upon some contingent event.
Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics The first moment; the expected value; the long-run average value of a variable over many independent repetitions of an experiment.
Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics Colloquial The arithmetic mean.
- Derived terms
- concession-counter-expectation, contraexpectation, expectational, expectations game, expectations hypothesis, Expectation Sunday, Expectation Week, inexpectation, misexpectation, nonexpectation, overexpectation, preexpectation, Pythagorean expectation, racism of low expectations, sexpectation, soft bigotry of low expectations, unexpectation