First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
prophesy
verb proph·e·sy \ˈprä-fə-ˌsī\
: to state that something will happen in the future
proph·e·siedproph·e·sy·ing
Full Definition of PROPHESY
transitive verb
1
: to utter by or as if by divine inspiration
2
: to predict with assurance or on the basis of mystic knowledge
3
intransitive verb
1
: to speak as if divinely inspired
2
: to give instruction in religious matters : preach
3
: to make a prediction
— proph·e·si·er \-ˌsī(-ə)r\ noun
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Origin of PROPHESY
Middle English prophesien, from Anglo-French *prophecier, from Old French, from prophecie
Related to PROPHESY
- Synonyms
- augur, call, forecast, predict, presage, prognosticate, foretell, read, vaticinate
Synonym Discussion of PROPHESY
foretell, predict, forecast, prophesy, prognosticate mean to tell beforehand. foretell applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information <seers foretold the calamity>. predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature <astronomers predicted an eclipse>. forecast adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from predict in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties <forecast snow>. prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises <prophesying a new messiah>. prognosticate is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for predict or prophesy <prognosticating the future>.
Rhymes with PROPHESY
abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify
PROPHESYING Defined for Kids
prophesy
verb proph·e·sy \ˈprä-fə-ˌsī\
proph·e·siedproph·e·sy·ing
Definition of PROPHESY for Kids
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