prospectus
noun
Did you know?
Prospectus Is a Word for the Forward-Thinking
Like prospect, prospectus looks forward. Thus, a prospectus originally outlined something that didn't yet exist, describing what it would become. This might even be a book; the great dictionary of Noah Webster, like that of Samuel Johnson, was first announced in the form of a prospectus, so that well-to-do people might actually subscribe to it—that is, pay for it in advance so that Webster would have money to live on while writing it. Soon, prospectus was being used to mean a description of a private school or college, intended to attract new students. Today the word very often means a description of a stock offering or mutual fund, whether new or not.
Examples of prospectus in a Sentence
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025
Affinity had in November agreed to the transaction, which was slated to be completed after the company’s listing, according to the IPO prospectus.
—Yessar Rosendar, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The company prices its products between 10 yuan ($1.40) and 20 yuan per cup, and today still has a stronghold in Zhejiang, which accounts for over one fifth of its network, according to the prospectus.
—Yue Wang, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2025
The company said in its IPO prospectus last week that revenue in 2024 soared more than 700% to $1.92 billion, with more than 60% coming from Microsoft, the core investor in OpenAI.
—Hayden Field, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prospectus
Cite this Entry
“Prospectus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospectus. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prospectus
noun
Legal Definition
prospectus
noun
Note: Under the Securities Act of 1933, the prospectus is part of the registration statement that must be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission before a security may be offered or sold to the public. The Securities Act defines prospectus broadly as “any prospectus, notice, circular, advertisement, letter, or communication, written or by radio or television, which offers any security for sale or confirms the sale of any security.”
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