Prospect has 10 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Verb · Proper Noun
belief about (or mental picture of) the future
"The dark clouds on the horizon filled her with a bleak prospect of winter to come."
a prediction of the course of a disease
"The doctor offered no prospect of recovery given the severity of the patient's condition."
The region which the eye overlooks at one time; view; scene; outlook.
"The hiker paused to admire the vast prospect of rolling hills and distant mountains that stretched out before her."
In plain English: A prospect is something that might happen in the future and could turn out to be good or bad.
"The job prospect looks promising after her interview went well."
Usage: Use this word to describe an open vista or landscape that can be seen from a high vantage point, rather than referring to future possibilities. It is often confused with "prospect" as in potential opportunity, but here it strictly refers to the visual scope of what lies ahead.
explore for useful or valuable things or substances, such as minerals
"The geologists spent weeks prospecting in the remote mountains to find traces of gold and silver."
To search, as for gold.
"The miners spent all day prospecting in the riverbed hoping to find a vein of gold."
A census-designated place in Jackson County, Oregon, United States.
"The residents of Prospect, a census-designated place in Jackson County, Oregon, gathered to welcome the new community center."
The word "prospect" entered English from Middle English and Latin, originally meaning a view or panorama. It derives from the Latin phrase for looking forward before something can be seen.