verb
prophesy
PRO-fih-seye
Prophesy (verb) means to predict what will happen, especially by claiming divine or special insight. Example: “The old woman prophesied that the drought would end within a year.”
verb
1
To predict what will happen, especially by claiming divine or special insight.
"The old woman prophesied that the drought would end within a year."
"He prophesied disaster if the plan went ahead."
How to use prophesy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo foretell the future, often with a tone of divine authority or grave certainty.
Common mistake
Spelled and pronounced differently from the noun "prophecy" — this is one of English's trickier noun/verb pairs.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- prophesies
- Past tense
- prophesied
Etymology
From Middle English prophecien, partly from prophecie and partly from Old French prophecier — the verb form of "prophecy."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for prophesy
See all rhymes for prophesy →Frequently asked questions
What does “prophesy” mean?
The word “prophesy” means to predict what will happen, especially by claiming divine or special insight. In plain terms, to foretell the future, often with a tone of divine authority or grave certainty.
How do you pronounce “prophesy”?
“Prophesy” is pronounced PRO-fih-seye (/ˈpɹɑfɪsaɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “prophesy” in a sentence?
Here is “prophesy” used in a sentence: “The old woman prophesied that the drought would end within a year.”
What part of speech is “prophesy”?
“Prophesy” is a verb.
Where does the word “prophesy” come from?
The word “prophesy” comes from Old French. From Middle English prophecien, partly from prophecie and partly from Old French prophecier — the verb form of "prophecy.".
