Exspectatus

Exspectatus is a Latin adjective formed from the verb exspectare, meaning “to look for, to await.” It exists as the perfect passive participle of exspectare and functions as an adjective that can describe a thing or person that has been or is hoped for. In Latin, participles agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case: exspectatus (masculine singular), exspectata (feminine singular), exspectatum (neuter singular); exspectati, exspectatae, exspectata (plural).

In usage, exspectatus carries a sense of anticipation or expectation. It is commonly found in constructions such as res exspectata, “the awaited thing,” or milites exspectati, “the soldiers who were expected/awaited.” When used in a passive sense, phrases like exspectatus est can translate as “he has been awaited” or more naturally “he was expected,” depending on context and aspect.

Exspectatus appears in Classical Latin as well as ecclesiastical and later Latin texts, maintaining the same basic function as a participial adjective. It is not typically treated as a separate noun in classical usage; rather, it remains a participle that can serve adjectival or predicative roles, modifying a noun or standing with a verb to convey expectation or awaiting.

See also: exspectare; exspectatio; related Latin vocabulary for “to expect” and “expectation.”