Prospectives

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Referring to potential or likely future outcomes or possibilities in a given context
2. Describing individuals or entities considered as candidates or participants in an upcoming opportunity or event
3. Relating to the anticipated or expected developments that may arise from particular actions or decisions

Etymology: "Prospectives" is simply the plural of "prospective," used as a noun for people or things being considered for a role, position, or opportunity. The adjective it comes from carries the older sense of looking ahead, and that forward-looking idea is what ties the whole family together. The adjective "prospective" was borrowed into English from Middle French "prospectif," which in turn came from Late Latin "prospectivus," meaning "pertaining to looking forward" or "far-seeing." The Latin root is "prospicere," to look out or ahead, built from "pro-" (forward) and "specere" (to look). The same Latin verb gave English "perspective" and "spectacle," so the sense of seeing and watching runs through all of them. The English noun "prospect" carries the same forward-looking sense, meaning a view or an expected future. "Prospective," as an adjective, took on the meaning of expected or likely to happen, and from there it came to describe people who might be chosen for something. The plural noun "prospectives" thus names a group of people who are, in effect, all looking toward a possible future role.

Synonyms: candidates, applicants, hopefuls, contenders, nominees

Antonyms: retrospectives