Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “expectation” come from?

Expectation comes from Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectatio, a noun formed from the prefix ex- meaning "out" and the root speḱ- meaning "to look or observe," ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European eǵ- and speḱ-.

expectation (English): The act or state of expecting or looking forward...

Definitions

  1. The act or state of expecting or looking forward...

Ancestry of “expectation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchexpectation—
2Latinexspectātiō—
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “expectation”

  • expectational
  • overexpectation
  • nonexpectation
  • inexpectation
  • unexpectation
  • preexpectation
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →