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
Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Shein, the Chinese online fashion retailer that’s said to be eyeing a London IPO, is still awaiting regulatory approval after filing a preliminary prospectus last November.
—Denni Hu, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
The prospectus outlines the typical credit risks and also specific hazards including earthquakes in California, typhoons in Japan and European windstorms.
—Chris Dobstaff, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
When Reddit went public in March, Altman ended up having even more shares than Huffman, who was the company’s CEO, according to Reddit’s IPO prospectus.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prospectus 
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Cite this Entry
“Prospectus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospectus. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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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.”
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