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 This tool points low-wage workers to more prosperous careers In the meantime, the Federal Reserve banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland created an interactive tool called the Occupational Mobility Explorer that was released at the end of 2020. Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The family packs a ship and sails off to the more prosperous castle. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 The trouble for him is that this characterization is at odds with reality: the United States has bounced back from the global pandemic far stronger than either its European competitors or China, and the country is safer and more prosperous than when Trump was in the White House. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024 And while much of that increase was concentrated in lower-income nations like Kazakhstan, more prosperous nations, where higher vaccination rates had long made cases measles rare, are also experiencing worrying outbreaks. Megan Specia, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 But Woodland Hills, a hilly, prosperous San Fernando Valley suburb, has taken more than its share of the pain. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Danish multinational businesses have propelled the nation of 6 million to become the third-most prosperous in the European Union. Peter Vanham, Fortune Europe, 27 Feb. 2024 Embracing the wisdom of the past while seeking expert advice in the present can lead to a prosperous and financially secure future. True Tamplin, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Addressing these issues with comprehensive solutions is imperative for fostering a prosperous and fair environment for all residents. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prosperous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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

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