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expectant

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Etymology and origin of the French word expectant

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1460 Georges Chastellain More words from the 15th century
Borrowed from
Latin exspectans
Ultimate origin
Latin speciō

Forms

expectant m (feminine expectante)[1][2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin exspectāns (“awaiting”), the present participle of exspectō (“to await”).[3][4][5][6] The TLFi treats it as the present participle of the rare verb expecter.[1] The Latin verb is formed from ex- and spectō (“to look at, observe”), a frequentative of speciō (“to look”), which Rey links to the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *spek- (“to observe”).[7][3] It is related to expectation and expectative.[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as a noun about 1460 in Georges Chastellain, for a person waiting for something owed to him.[7][3][5]

Semantic evolution

In 16th-century customary law property could be held expectant, awaiting the death of the surviving spouse.[6] The noun, “one who awaits a place or a post”, is now archaic;[3][1] the Académie recorded the word from 1762, and the 1835 edition has médecin expectant à l'Hôtel-Dieu.[1]

The adjective, “waiting, holding back”, is dated from 1826 (Brillat-Savarin).[7][3][5] In medicine médecine expectante let nature act and helped it only with mild means,[6][7] and by extension the word was used of policies and attitudes that wait on events before acting, often with a pejorative note.[6][1] Proust used it of something that keeps others waiting.[7]

The English word expectant (late 14th century) comes from Old French or directly from Latin.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1460 – Georges Chastellain uses it as a noun.[7][3]
  • 16th century – Customary law speaks of property held expectant.[6]
  • 1762 – The Académie records it.[1]
  • 1826 – Brillat-Savarin uses it as an adjective.[7][3]
  • 1831 – Balzac writes of la médecine expectante.[1]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (literary) Waiting, holding back in expectation before acting, wait-and-see: politique expectante.[2][9][7]
  2. (medicine, dated) Of a method that leaves the illness to nature and intervenes little: médecine expectante.[1][6][7]
  3. (dated) Waiting for a post or place: un officier expectant.[1]

Noun

  1. (archaic, literary) A person waiting for something, especially for a post to become vacant.[1][7][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  2. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Expectant.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/expectant. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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