Prophecy
noun /ˈprɒf.ɪ.si/ — A prediction of future events, especially by divine insight
Definition
A prediction of what will happen in the future — especially one inspired by divine revelation or extraordinary insight. A prophecy is not just a guess; it is a statement of what fate has decided.
Beyond the definition
The word that changes the future by naming it. A prophecy creates the possibility it describes — sometimes by warning, sometimes by inviting fulfillment.
Origin & history
From Old French 'prophecie', from Latin 'prophetia', from Greek 'prophēteia' (gift of interpreting the will of God) — from 'prophetes' (interpreter, spokesman) — 'pro' (before) + 'phanai' (to speak). To speak before.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The prophecy was ambiguous enough to be fulfilled in any number of ways — which is how the best ones work.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: the prediction that produces the behaviour that confirms it.
Greek tragedy understood that prophecies cannot be outrun — the attempt is always the road to fulfillment.
Synonyms
prediction, oracle, foretelling, divination, revelation
Antonyms
retrospect, ignorance
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Difficult Trial of Fate
An adult stands before a complex, stone-walled maze, with an imposing guardian figure at the center of the entrance.
A prophecy is a statement of what fate has decided. The guardian figure standing at the entrance of the complex stone maze acts as an analogy for a prophet or fate itself: the maze is a trial that has already been set, and the guardian represents the inevitable challenge that lies ahead on the path.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration