prospectus
noun
Did you know?
Prospectus Is a Word for the Forward-Thinking
Like prospect, prospectus looks forward. Thus, a prospectus originally outlined something that didn't yet exist, describing what it would become. This might even be a book; the great dictionary of Noah Webster, like that of Samuel Johnson, was first announced in the form of a prospectus, so that well-to-do people might actually subscribe to it—that is, pay for it in advance so that Webster would have money to live on while writing it. Soon, prospectus was being used to mean a description of a private school or college, intended to attract new students. Today the word very often means a description of a stock offering or mutual fund, whether new or not.
Examples of prospectus in a Sentence
Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This is despite the company raising the average cost of its dye vials in the market by 60% and 30% in 2023 and 2024, respectively, according to its IPO prospectus.
—Bernadette Toh, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Cofounder Zhang also worked for over a decade at Tsinghua until 2020, according to the prospectus, which didn’t specify his role there.
—Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
In 1926, the school would rename itself North Central College to both better represent its place in the Evangelical world and to distinguish itself from Northwestern University and Naperville, the prospectus said.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prospectus
Cite this Entry
“Prospectus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospectus. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prospectus
noun
Legal Definition
prospectus
noun
Note: Under the Securities Act of 1933, the prospectus is part of the registration statement that must be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission before a security may be offered or sold to the public. The Securities Act defines prospectus broadly as “any prospectus, notice, circular, advertisement, letter, or communication, written or by radio or television, which offers any security for sale or confirms the sale of any security.”
