foresight

[ fawr-sahyt, fohr- ]
/ ˈfɔrˌsaɪt, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.
the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.
an act of looking forward.
knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.
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.

Origin of foresight

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

SYNONYMS FOR foresight

1 See prudence.
4 foreknowledge.

OTHER WORDS FROM foresight

fore·sight·ed, adjective fore·sight·ed·ly, adverb fore·sight·ed·ness, noun fore·sight·ful, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for foresightedness

  • And with her customary cleverness and foresightedness she called him up at the hospital.

    From the Housetops |George Barr McCutcheon
  • This single word impresses upon us the foresightedness with which he anticipates metaphysical doctrines of modern Germany.

  • His spirit of determination, his persistence, his foresightedness, seem to me the predominant traits in a well-rounded character.

    The Story of General Pershing |Everett T. (Everett Titsworth) Tomlinson

British Dictionary definitions for foresightedness

foresight
/ (ˈfɔːˌsaɪt) /

noun

provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc
the act or ability of foreseeing
the act of looking forward
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
the front sight on a firearm

Derived forms of foresight

foresighted, adjective foresightedly, adverb foresightedness, noun