expect
UK[ɪkˈspɛkt]US[ɪkˈspɛkt]
v
To think or believe that something will happen or that someone will do something.
v
To demand that someone will do something because it is their duty or responsibility.
v
To be pregnant; to be going to have a baby.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
pect
ex
out
pect
look
Etymology
The word "expect" originates from the Latin verb expectare/exspectare, meaning "to look out for, await, hope." This verb is a compound of the prefix ex- ("out") and spectare ("to look"). The literal sense was "to look out for" something, implying a forward gaze in anticipation. Over time, the meaning evolved from the physical act of watching and waiting to the mental act of believing something is likely to happen. The modern senses of anticipation, requirement, and pregnancy all stem from this core idea of looking forward to a future event or outcome.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + pect (look)
- ex: A Latin prefix meaning "out, out of, thoroughly."
- pect: A root derived from the Latin verb spectare (to look at, watch), itself from specere (to look). The form 'pect' is an assimilated variant of 'spect' after the prefix 'ex-'.
Examples
We expect heavy rain this afternoon.
The teacher expects complete silence during the exam.
They are expecting their first child in June.