prophecy

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source)
  2. noun a prediction uttered under divine inspiration

Etymology

From Middle English prophecie, from Old French prophetie, from Latin prophētīa, from Ancient Greek προφητεία (prophēteía, “prophecy”), from προφήτης (prophḗtēs, “speaker of a god”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + φημί (phēmí, “to tell”). Displaced native Old English wītgung. Doublet of prophesy.

In classic literature

Synonyms

prognostication, vaticination

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