provident
/ˈpɹɒvɪdənt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.65 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Possessing, exercising, or demonstrating great care and consideration for the future.
adj
Showing care in the use of something (especially money or provisions), so as to avoid wasting it.
Example Sentences
- "I saw your brother, Most provident in peril, bind himself, Courage and hope both teaching him the practise, To a strong mast that lived upon the sea;"
- "Since then that all kinde of Gaming serues but as gulphes to deuoure the substances of men, and to swallow them vp in beggerie, my counsell is vtterly either to refraine such pastimes, or if men are of such spirits that they must needes venture their money, then to be very prouident how they play, and to be choise of their company."
- "[…] I have toiled on through eighteen years of wearisome adventure: crown’d with success, I now at length return, and find my daughter all my fondest hope could represent; but past experience makes me provident; I would secure my treasure; I would bestow it now in faithful hands—What say you, Sir, will you accept the charge?"
- "She had forgotten her purse, she said, and was obliged to borrow from the more provident Molly, who was aware that the round game of which Miss Browning had spoken to her was likely to require money."
- "Provident junkies, known as squirrels, keep stashes against a bust."
- "Grant us thy grace that we may be diligent in our businesse, just in our charges, provident of our time, watchfull in our dutie, carefull of every word we speak."
Etymology
From Middle English provident, from Latin prōvidēns, prōvidentis, present participle of prōvideō (“to foresee; to be cautious; to provide”): compare French provident. By surface analysis, provide + -ent. Doublet of prudent.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *per-, provident, prōvidēns
Inflected Forms
more provident (comparative)
most provident (superlative)
Derived Forms
Phrases
provident fund
provident society