foresight

[fawr-sahyt, fohr-]

noun

1. care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.

2. the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.

3. an act of looking forward.

4. knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.

   Synonyms: foreknowledge

5. Surveying.

   1. a sight or reading taken on a forward point.

   2. (in leveling) a rod reading on a point the elevation of which is to be determined.

foresight

/ ˈfɔːˌsaɪt /

noun

1. provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc

2. the act or ability of foreseeing

3. the act of looking forward

4. surveying a reading taken looking forwards to a new station, esp in levelling from a point of known elevation to a point the elevation of which is to be determined Compare backsight

5. the front sight on a firearm

Other Word Forms

• foresighted adjective
• foresightedly adverb
• foresightedness noun
• foresightful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of foresight¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, foresight is from the Middle English word forsight. See fore-, sight

Synonym Study

See prudence.

Example Sentences

Mike Parsons said she had shown "remarkable foresight."

From BBC

Folks like Shelton Alexander provide a citizens’ view of what happened through the footage they had the foresight to record.

From Salon

Paley had the foresight to grant Norman Lear the creative freedom to critique America’s race and class divisions through his comedies, beginning with “All in the Family.”

From Salon

Patience and foresight are underappreciated, but indispensable virtues of constitutional government.

From Salon

By luck or foresight, Barbeque 67 set the tone for what was to come.

From BBC

Related Words

• insight 
• prudence