expectation
UK: ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən | US: ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən
n. a strong belief that something will happen or be the case
n. a standard of performance or behavior deemed likely or required
n. (mathematics) the predicted value of a variable
The word "expectation" originates from Latin exspectare ("to look out for"), combining ex- (out) and spectare (to look). The root pect (variant of spect) reflects the idea of "gazing" or "observing," metaphorically evolving into "anticipating." The suffix -ation nominalizes the action, turning it into a state of awaiting something. Over time, the spelling simplified from exspectation to expectation, but the core meaning of "looking forward to" remains intact.
Her expectation of success kept her motivated.
The project failed to meet management's expectations.
In statistics, expectation refers to the average outcome of a random variable.
Children often have high expectations for birthdays.
The team exceeded all expectations with their innovative solution.