What does futurity mean?
"Futurity" denotes future time regarded in the abstract — not any particular tomorrow, but the very condition of being yet to come. Where "future" serves as the everyday word for what lies ahead, "futurity" is a more formal and philosophical term, favored in academic discussions of temporality, in literary criticism, and in speculative writing that contemplates worlds not yet realized. It can also appear in the plural, where "futurities" refers to anticipated events, possibilities, or prospects. The word derives from the Latin "futurus," meaning "about to be," the same root that gives us "future," making it a close cousin of terms like "futurism." Its most familiar modern appearance may be in American horse racing, where a "futurity" is a stakes race restricted to young horses — literally a contest over outcomes that lie ahead. Abstract yet evocative, the word suits contexts that treat time itself as an object of thought.
nounThe quality, state, or condition of being in the future; future time or the time to come considered abstractly. In plural (futurities), it also refers to future events or possibilities, especially as anticipated.
- Future time considered abstractly; the condition of existing or occurring in the time to come.
- (in plural) Future events, possibilities, or prospects.
"The architect's designs were shaped by an almost utopian vision of futurity."
"Her fiction is suffused with a longing for futurity — for worlds that do not yet exist."
"Investors weighed the company's futurities: possible patents, pending contracts, and markets yet untapped."
The plural is used to refer collectively to future events, possibilities, or prospects, often in legal, financial, or literary contexts.
"The will made provision for various futurities — inheritances contingent on heirs reaching adulthood."
In American horse racing, a "futurity" is a race for very young horses — bets placed on animals whose futures are still entirely unwritten.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of futurity
"Futurity" originates from the Latin adjective "futurus," meaning "about to be" or "going to be," the participle-like form of the verb "esse" (to be). The word entered English in the late 16th century, borrowed via the same Latin root that produced the more common English word "future." Its cognates include "futurism" and "futuristic," which share the Latin stem but developed along distinct conceptual lines, with futurism later naming both an avant-garde art movement and a general fascination with things to come.
How futurity is actually used
"Futurity" is a formal, somewhat literary word, far less common than "future." It appears most often in philosophy, speculative fiction, academic writing about temporality, and the names of horse races ("futurity stakes"). It carries a neutral-to-abstract connotation rather than an optimistic one, unlike words such as "promise" or "prospect."
Easily confused with futurity
"Future" is the ordinary everyday term for coming time, while "futurity" is a more formal, abstract word for the state or quality of being future.
"Futurism" refers to an early 20th-century artistic movement or a general enthusiasm for the future and technology, whereas "futurity" simply denotes future time or the condition of lying ahead.