noun
Uncommon
expectancy
ihk-SPEHKTN-see
Expectancy (noun) means a feeling of anticipation about something that is likely to happen. Example: “The crowd waited with a sense of expectancy as the results were announced.”
noun
1
A feeling of anticipation about something that is likely to happen.
"The crowd waited with a sense of expectancy as the results were announced."
2
A statistical figure showing how long or how much of something is likely, on average.
"Life expectancy in the country has risen sharply over the past decade."
How to use expectancy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe feeling of waiting for something to happen, or a calculated average of how likely or long something is.
Common pairings
life expectancy
a sense of expectancy
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Word forms
- Plural
- expectancies
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The crowd waited with a sense of _____ as the results were announced.
Etymology
From "expectant" plus "-cy," or from "expect" plus "-ancy."
Synonyms
View more →
anticipation
expectingness
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for expectancy
See all rhymes for expectancy →Frequently asked questions
What does “expectancy” mean?
The word “expectancy” means a feeling of anticipation about something that is likely to happen. In plain terms, the feeling of waiting for something to happen, or a calculated average of how likely or long something is.
How do you pronounce “expectancy”?
“Expectancy” is pronounced ihk-SPEHKTN-see (/ɪkˈspɛktənsi/ in IPA).
How do you use “expectancy” in a sentence?
Here is “expectancy” used in a sentence: “The crowd waited with a sense of expectancy as the results were announced.”
What is another word for “expectancy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “expectancy” include expectingness.
What part of speech is “expectancy”?
“Expectancy” is a noun.
Is “expectancy” a common word?
“Expectancy” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “expectancy” have?
“Expectancy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of anticipation about something that is likely to happen.
