foresight

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the ability to think ahead and prepare for what may happen

   With foresight, the town stored water before the drought.

2. 2
   noun

   careful planning based on an expectation of future needs or problems

   The project succeeded because of her foresight.

From Middle English forsight, forsyght, forsichte (since 14th c.), a calque of Latin providentia. By surface analysis, fore- + sight. Compare Scots foresicht, Saterland Frisian Foarsicht, archaic Dutch voorzicht (now voorzichtigheid), German Vorsicht (all “caution, foresight”).

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