English Reference
Adjective

expectant

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ɪkˈspɛktənt/ UK /ɛkspˈɛktənt/ ex·pec·tant Medicine

adj.waiting for something to happen, especially a baby. It describes a person who is pregnant or a situation where you are waiting for a specific result.

adj.waiting for a specific event or outcome; in a medical context, refers to a pregnant woman or the state of pregnancy.


SIMPLE

The expectant mother waited for the doctor's arrival.

CONTEXTUAL

The expectant parents gathered in the waiting room, hoping to hear the news of their child's health.

COMPLEX

The expectant atmosphere in the delivery room was palpable as the medical team prepared for the imminent arrival of the newborn.

In an alert, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA , highlighted urgent needs among expectant mothers in Golo, in western Sudan’s Central Darfur region.

UN News· 14 Aug 2026

Whenever I heard that, my heart just dropped." 'Opportunity to reform NI's maternity services missed' She described sitting alongside expectant parents and families before receiving difficult news about her fertility.

BBC News· 30 Jul 2026

From Old French expectant, from Latin expectans.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin expectans
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated