adj. & n.
adj. 1 a going or expected to happen or be or become (his future career). b that will be something specified (my future wife). c that will be after death (a future life). 2 a of time to come (future years). b Gram. (of a tense or participle) describing an event yet to happen.
n. 1 time to come (past, present, and future). 2 what will happen in the future (the future is uncertain). 3 the future condition of a person, country, etc. 4 a prospect of success etc. (there's no future in it). 5 Gram. the future tense. 6 (in pl.) Stock Exch. a goods and stocks sold for future delivery. b contracts for these. for the future = in future. future perfect Gram. a tense giving the sense will have done. future shock inability to cope with rapid progress. in future from now onwards. futureless adj.
[ ME f. OF futur -ure f. L futurus future part. of esse be f. stem fu- be ]