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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 notes

In 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

Word forms

expectancies plural

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The crowd waited with a sense of _____ as the results were announced.

Etymology

From "expectant" plus "-cy," or from "expect" plus "-ancy."

expectingness

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.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial