expectation Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun belief about (or mental picture of) the future
prospect; outlook.
noun anticipating with confidence of fulfillment
anticipation.
noun the feeling that something is about to happen
noun the sum of the values of a random variable divided by the number of values
expected value; first moment; arithmetic mean.

L. expectio. exspectio: cf. F. expectation.

The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen. "In expectation of a guest." Tennyson.
My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him. Ps. lxii. 5.
That which is expected or looked for.
Why our great expectation should be called The seed of woman. Milton.
The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to happen; prospect of anything good to come, esp. of c or rank.
His magnificent expiations made him, in the opinion of the world, the best much in Europe. Prescott.

By all men's eyes a youth of expectations. Otway.
The value of any chance (as the prospect of prize or property) which depends upon some contingent event. Expectations are computed for or against the occurrence of the event.
(Med.) The leaving of the disease principally to the efforts of nature to effect a cure. Syn. -- Anticipation; confidence; trust.