Prophecy Definition & Meaning

American

British

Commonly Confused

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms prophecy American [prof-uh-see] / ˈprɒf ə si /

noun

plural

prophecies

1. the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.

2. something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.

3. a divinely inspired utterance or revelation.

   oracular prophecies.

4. the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.

prophecy British / ˈprɒfɪsɪ /

noun

1. 1. a message of divine truth revealing God's will

   2. the act of uttering such a message

2. a prediction or guess

3. the function, activity, or charismatic endowment of a prophet or prophets

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Commonly Confused

The French-derived noun prophecy and the related verb prophesy have a unique history. Before English spelling became relatively stabilized, they were both spelled many different ways—some with a c, some with an s, and even, at least in the case of the noun, some with a t (as in the corresponding modern French form prophétie ). But in the 18th century, the great diversity of spellings for these words settled down, with the c form becoming standard for the noun and the s form for the verb. At some point the pronunciation of the verb was also distinguished from that of the noun, so that instead of rhyming with see, like the noun, the verb rhymed with sigh —perhaps by analogy with the many verbs ending in -fy ( testify, stupefy, etc.). Considering the close relationship between the words, it is not surprising that they are easily confused; in particular, it is not unusual to see the noun written with an s, just as was often done before the 18th century. We may even prophesy that, over time, the form will once again become a completely acceptable spelling for the noun. But until then, careful writers and speakers maintain the conventional and long-established distinction between the two words in both spelling and pronunciation. Similarly, the verb "prophesize" (or "prophecize")—resulting from confusion between prophesy and verbs ending in -ize like proselytize and prioritize —is regarded as nonstandard. When you make a prophecy (sounds like see ), you are prophesying (sounds like sighing ).

Etymology

Origin of prophecy

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prophecie, from Old French, from Late Latin prophētīa, from Greek prophēteía; prophet, -y 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When leaders insist that AI will double productivity, employees often overwork to fulfill that prophecy.

From Barron's

Warren Buffett once called him a Cassandra—the mythological Trojan priestess whose grim prophecies were ignored.

From The Wall Street Journal

I was a fresh-faced high school senior, living out the prime of my teenage youth in an increasingly progressive world where fundamentalist doomsday prophecies were lobbed around in jest.

From Salon

“A high vacancy rate is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which represents about 1,300 state psychiatrists.

From Los Angeles Times

His platitude of “humility is only a day away” feels more like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• apocalypse
• prognostication
• revelation

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.