The noun is pronounced /prɒspekt, AM prɑ:-/. The verb is pronounced /prəspekt, AM prɑ:spekt/ and is hyphenated pro‧spect.
( prospected)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If there is some prospect of something happening, there is a possibility that it will happen.
Unfortunately, there is little prospect of seeing these big questions answered...
The prospects for peace in the country’s eight-year civil war are becoming brighter...
There is a real prospect that the bill will be defeated in parliament.
N-VAR : with supp , oft N of n / -ing
2.
A particular prospect is something that you expect or know is going to happen.
They now face the prospect of having to wear a cycling helmet by law...
N-SING : usu with supp , oft N of n / -ing
3.
Someone’s prospects are their chances of being successful, especially in their career.
I chose to work abroad to improve my career prospects.
N-PLURAL : usu supp N
4.
When people prospect for oil, gold, or some other valuable substance, they look for it in the ground or under the sea.
He had prospected for minerals everywhere from the Gobi Desert to the Transvaal...
In fact, the oil companies are already prospecting not far from here.
VERB : V for n , V
• pro‧spect‧ing
He was involved in oil, zinc and lead prospecting.
N-UNCOUNT
• pro‧spec‧tor
(prospectors)
The discovery of gold brought a flood of prospectors into the Territories.
N-COUNT