prosper

English

Alternative forms

• prospre (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

From Old French prosperer, from Latin prosperō (“I render happy”), from prosperus (“prosperous”), from Proto-Italic *prosparos, from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to succeed”), whence also Latin spēs (“hope, expectation”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒspə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑspɚ/

• Audio (UK)

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Verb

prosper (third-person singular simple present prospers, present participle prospering, simple past and past participle prospered)

1. (transitive) To favor; to render successful.
   • 1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, , London: Edowardi Whitchurche , →OCLC:

     Prosper thou our handiwork.

   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. The First Part , 2nd edition, part 1, London: Richard Iones, , published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

     The Gods defenders of the innocent,
     Will neuer proſper your intended driftes,
     That thus oppreſſe poore friendles paſſengers.

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Iphis and Ianthe”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC:

     All things concur to prosper our design.

2. (intransitive) To be successful; to succeed; to be fortunate or prosperous; to thrive; to make gain.
   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     Yet his passion for her had grown fiercer than ever, and he swore to himself that he would win her back from her phantasies. She, one may believe, was ready enough to listen. As she walked with him by the Sker water his words were like musick to her ears, and Alison within doors laughed to herself and saw her devices prosper.

3. (intransitive) To grow; to increase.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Genesis 39:3:

     And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:prosper

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Propers, propers, prospre

Latin

Adjective

prosper (feminine prospera, neuter prosperum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)

1. Alternative form of prosperus (singular masculine nominative)

Declension

First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French prospère.

Adjective

prosper m or n (feminine singular prosperă, masculine plural prosperi, feminine and neuter plural prospere)

1. prosperous

Declension

Related terms

• prosperitate