Other forms: outlooks
Somebody's outlook is the general way they expect things to go. A positive outlook, a gloomy outlook, her whole outlook.
It describes a settled attitude rather than a mood. It also means the forecast for something: the economic outlook, the outlook for tomorrow — and outlook is the standard word in weather and financial reporting for what is expected. And it means a view from a place: a fine outlook over the valley. Note that outlook, prospect and view all cover both the scenery and the future, which is a shared metaphor.
1nounoutlookThe general way a person expects things to go.
“Despite her illness, she has a cheerful outlook on life.”
2nounforecastThe forecast for something.
“The outlook for the next nine months is roughly unchanged.”
outlook is an attitude or forecast.
Middle English
loken
English
look
English, today
outlook
Built from
From out- + look. look comes from Middle English loken. From Middle English loken, lokien, from Old English lōcian, from Proto-West Germanic lōkōn. Further origin unknown, no certain cognates outside Germanic. Cognate with Scots luke, luik, leuk (“to look, see”), West Frisian lôkje, loaitsje (“to look”), Dutch loeken (“to look”), German Low German löken. Likely also related to German lugen (“to peek”), gsw luege (“to look”), Yiddish לוגן.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA