expect

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled expeckit and spected

US /ɪkˈspɛkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #785

Meanings

1

verb
To think or believe that something will probably happen.

The forecasters are expecting rain tomorrow.
2

verb
To believe that someone should do something, as a duty or requirement.

My parents expected too much of me when I was in college.
3

verb
To be going to have a baby.

She is expecting her first child in March.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to think or believe that... anticipate hopelook for

2 verb · to believe that someone... demand require

Word family

Forms expectingexpects

Derived forms expectativeexpectedexpecteeexpecterexpectingexpectionexpectivehalf-expecthalfexpectoverexpectsexpectunexpected

Related forms expectableexpectancy expectant expectation

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

expect a baby
to be pregnant

Verb + noun
expect rain
to anticipate that it will rain

Verb + noun
expect a child
to be pregnant; to be waiting to become a parent

Verb + noun
expect a return
to anticipate profit or repayment for an investment or favor

Verb + noun

Proverbs (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Expect entered English in the mid-16th century from Latin exspectare “look out for,” derived from spectare “look.” Its earliest English meaning was “wait for.”

Etymology

From Latin expectāre, infinitive form of exspectō (“look out for, await, expect”), from ex (“out”) + spectō (“look at”), frequentative of speciō (“see”).

*speḱ- Proto-Indo-European expectāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# expect

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪkˈspɛkt/
**Frequency rank:** 785

## Meanings
1. To think or believe that something will probably happen.
2. To believe that someone should do something, as a duty or requirement.
3. To be going to have a baby.

## Examples
- The forecasters are expecting rain tomorrow.
- My parents expected too much of me when I was in college.
- She is expecting her first child in March.

## Derived Forms
- expectative
- expected
- expectee
- expecter
- expecting
- expection
- expective
- half-expect
- halfexpect
- overexpect
- sexpect
- unexpected

## Related Forms
- expectable
- expectancy
- expectant
- expectation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *speḱ-
- Root: expectāre

## Etymology
From Latin expectāre, infinitive form of exspectō (“look out for, await, expect”), from ex (“out”) + spectō (“look at”), frequentative of speciō (“see”).

## AI Etymology
Expect comes from Latin expectāre, infinitive form of exspectō (“look out for, await, expect”), from ex (“out”) + spectō (“look at”), frequentative of speciō (“see”). In current use, the main senses are “To think or believe that something will probably happen” and “To believe that someone should do something, as a duty or requirement”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown