/ ɪkˈspektənt; NAmE / adjective
1.
hoping for sth, especially sth good and exciting :
children with expectant faces waiting for the fireworks to begin
A sudden roar came from the expectant crowd.
2.
expectant mother / father / parent used to describe sb who is going to have a baby soon or become a father
► ex·pect·ant·ly adverb :
She looked at him expectantly.
waiting expectantly
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin exspectant- expecting, from the verb exspectare look out for, from ex- out + spectare to look.