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Synonyms

seer

1 American  
[see-er, seer] / ˈsi ər, sɪər /

noun

  1. a person who sees; observer.

  2. a person who prophesies future events; prophet.

    Industry seers predicted higher profits.

    Synonyms:
    augur, soothsayer, oracle
  3. a person endowed with profound moral and spiritual insight or knowledge; a wise person or sage who possesses intuitive powers.

  4. a person who is reputed to have special powers of divination, as a crystal gazer or palmist.


seer 2 American  
[seer, sair] / sɪər, sɛər /

noun

  1. ser.


seer 1 British  
/ sɪə /

noun

  1. a person who can supposedly see into the future; prophet

  2. a person who professes supernatural powers

  3. a person who sees

"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

seer 2 British  
/ sɪə /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of ser

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of seer1

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at see 1, -er 1

Origin of seer2

First recorded in 1610–20

Explanation

A seer is someone who can see the future. Nostradamus is considered a seer because he predicted everything from the Great Fire of London to the French Revolution. Oh, and the end of the world. See the word see in seer? Seers can see into the future. Prophets, fortune tellers, and tarot card readers are seers. Seers are part of many fictional stories, especially fantasy stories that might include witches and goblins. However, this word can be used for anyone who is good at predicting things, such as a political, financial, or sports analyst. Seers are also called oracles and visionaries. As for Nostradamus, let’s hope he was wrong sometimes.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing seer

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.

Previous format changes have not always worked out, such as the highly unpopular "Seer" twist last year, which effectively made it impossible for one particular player to win, and removed the tension from the finale.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

Turchin's prognostications would be easier to dismiss as barstool theorizing if the disintegration were not happening now, roughly as the Seer of Storrs foretold 10 years ago.

From Salon • Jan. 9, 2023

“Everything seems so alive,” said Dosa, who discovered the Kraffts’ work while doing research for her previous film “The Seer and the Unseen,” set in Iceland.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2022

He was president of Seer Systems, which in 1997 introduced the first professional software synthesizer, the Windows program Reality.

From New York Times • Jun. 8, 2022

“I saw it but couldn’t read it,” he had said to Seer once, “and you could have read it but you couldn’t see it.”

From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry