What does expecting mean?
"Expecting" is the present participle of the verb "to expect", which derives from the Latin exspectare, meaning to look out for or await. Its core sense involves believing that something is likely to happen: we expect deliveries, visitors, weather, and outcomes, often on the basis of evidence or prior arrangement. A second, very common sense refers to pregnancy — saying that someone "is expecting" is a polite, widely used euphemism for being pregnant, typically followed by "a baby", "a child", or a date. A third sense concerns requirements placed on people: to be expecting someone to act in a certain way implies a degree of entitlement or obligation. The word spans registers comfortably, appearing in everyday conversation, news reporting, and formal prose alike, though its pregnancy sense is slightly informal in tone. Related forms include "expectation", "expectant", and "expectancy", all sharing the same Latin root, and its negative counterpart "unexpectedly" remains one of the most frequent adverbs in written English.
Present participle of 'expect': to regard something as likely to happen, to await it, or (of a person) to be pregnant.
"The staff are expecting a busy weekend."
Often used in progressive constructions ('are expecting') rather than standing alone.
Describing a person, especially a woman or couple, who is pregnant or awaiting the birth of a child.
"An expecting mother joined the prenatal class."
Usually appears attributively before a noun ('expecting parents', 'expecting mothers'); less common as a standalone predicate.
When you say you're 'expecting', you're literally 'looking out' for something — from Latin exspectare, to watch for — which is why English speakers have been 'watching' for babies with this word since at least the 18th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expecting
"Expecting" comes from the Latin verb exspectare, formed from ex- ('out') plus spectare ('to look at, watch'), so its literal root sense is 'to look out for'. The word entered English via Old French in the medieval period, and the participle 'expecting' has been in continuous use since at least the Early Modern period. The specific euphemistic use for pregnancy became established later and is now among its most familiar applications. Cognates and derivatives include 'expectation', 'expectant', and 'expectancy', alongside words sharing the Latin root spectare such as 'inspect', 'respect', and 'spectator'.
Related word forms
How expecting is actually used
The pregnancy sense is informal but entirely standard and widely used in British and American English, often phrased as 'expecting a baby/child'. In formal writing, 'pregnant' may be preferred. The verb form 'is expecting' can be ambiguous out of context between anticipation of events and pregnancy, though surrounding words usually disambiguate. Note also that 'expect' carries a mild implication of entitlement when applied to people's behaviour ('I expect punctuality').
Easily confused with expecting
'Expecting' means anticipating something as likely to happen, while 'suspecting' means believing something without proof, usually with distrust.
'Accepting' means receiving or agreeing to something willingly, whereas 'expecting' means regarding something as likely or due to occur.