prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈprä-sp(ə-)rəs 

1

: auspicious, favorable

2

a

: marked by success or economic well-being

b

: enjoying vigorous and healthy growth : flourishing

prosperously adverb

prosperousness noun

Synonyms

• booming
• boomy
• flourishing
• golden
• halcyon
• healthy
• lush
• palmy
• prospering
• roaring
• successful
• thriving

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

The company had a prosperous year.

He predicted a prosperous future.

Recent Examples on the Web

Everyone wants to have a good life – prosperous communities, strong family ties, happy and healthy children, and to exist authentically. —Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024

On their right is a bag of gold because their reign was prosperous and peaceful and nothing bad ever happened to the Targaryens again. —Alexis Nedd, IndieWire, 17 June 2024

They are also taught that North Korea is unique — uniquely good, uniquely prosperous, uniquely humane. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 17 June 2024

Set in the year 1600, the story documents the end of the Sengoku period, a century of endless civil war before the prosperous Edo period, which has been more commonly represented in popular culture. —Valli Herman, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, (of omens) propitious" (going back to *pro-sparo-, from pro- pro- entry 2 + *sparo-, going back to Indo-European *sph₁-ró- "thriving") + -ous -ous — more at speed entry 1

Note: An apparently traditional explanation is recorded by the fourth/fifth century grammarian Nonius Marcellus, namely, that prosperus was in origin from the phrase prō spērē "in conformity with one's hope" (spērē being taken as a variant of spē, ablative of spēs "hope"), though this may best be regarded as a folk etymology. It fails to account for the short e in prosperus.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈpräs-p(ə-)rəs 

1

: having or showing success or financial good fortune

2

: strong and healthy in growth

prosperously adverb