prescient

American  

[presh-uhnt, ‑ee-uhnt, pree-shuhnt, ‑shee-uhnt] / ˈprɛʃ ənt, ‑i ənt, ˈpri ʃənt, ‑ʃi ənt /

adjective

1. having prescience, or knowledge of things or events before they exist or happen; having foresight.

   The prescient economist was one of the few to see the financial collapse coming.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpresciently
  adverb
• unprescient
  adjective
• unpresciently
  adverb
• nonprescient
  adjective
• presciently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of prescient

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Old French, from Latin praesciēns (stem praescient- ), present participle of praescīre “to know beforehand,” equivalent to prae- “before” + scīre “to know”; cf. pre- ( def. ); see science ( def. )

Explanation

To be prescient is to have foresight or foreknowledge. We can use this word to describe people themselves, or what they say or do at a given moment. You probably know that the Latin prefix pre- means "before," so you might be able to figure out that the word prescient, from the verb praescire, means to "know beforehand." People like economists, sports commentators, and political analysts often get tagged with this word, because it's part of their job to sift through the data and make predictions — and sometimes they get it right. And when they're not just lucky, we might say they're prescient.

Example Sentences

It was a prescient review given the torrent of public criticism from his own colleagues that was about to be begin.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

In his prescient epilogue, Mr. Overhoff contends that the divide between Washington and Frederick is no “relic of transatlantic history” but an instructive guide to the present and future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

That launch made Microsoft the presumed early winner of the AI race, given its prescient investment of billions of dollars in Sam Altman’s startup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Because Harris Norton collected these acclaimed artists while they were still relatively unknown, she is often described as prescient.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

In retrospect, that statement seems prescient, but it merely reflected the mood already widespread among the young in Durham’s black community as America stood poised on the cusp of a new and turbulent decade.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• farsighted