prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈprä-sp(ə-)rəs How to pronounce prosperous (audio)
1
2
a
: marked by success or economic well-being
b
: enjoying vigorous and healthy growth : flourishing
prosperously adverb
prosperousness noun

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

The company had a prosperous year. He predicted a prosperous future.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Both seek to represent one of the most prosperous areas of the county. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 His surname is derived from Ar-Ramtha, a city on the northern edge of Jordan which grew prosperous through the illicit transit of goods in and out of the country. Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 Their work focuses on how countries become prosperous. Peter Green, Quartz, 4 Nov. 2024 While the city remains prosperous, there is growing concern over a lingering British change to Hong Kong’s customs protocols. James Marsh, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prosperous 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, (of omens) propitious" (going back to *pro-sparo-, from pro- pro- entry 2 + *sparo-, going back to Indo-European *sph1-ró- "thriving") + -ous -ous — more at speed entry 1

Note: An apparently traditional explanation is recorded by the fourth/fifth century grammarian Nonius Marcellus, namely, that prosperus was in origin from the phrase prō spērē "in conformity with one's hope" (spērē being taken as a variant of spē, ablative of spēs "hope"), though this may best be regarded as a folk etymology. It fails to account for the short e in prosperus.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prosperous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near prosperous

Cite this Entry

“Prosperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosperous. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

prosperous

adjective
pros·​per·​ous ˈpräs-p(ə-)rəs How to pronounce prosperous (audio)
1
: having or showing success or financial good fortune
2
: strong and healthy in growth
prosperously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on prosperous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!