prediction
Americannoun
-
an act of predicting.
-
an instance of this; prophecy.
- Synonyms:
- projection, divination, prognostication, augury, forecast
noun
-
the act of predicting
-
something predicted; a forecast, prophecy, etc
Usage
What does prediction mean? A prediction is a statement about what someone thinks will happen in the future. People make predictions all the time. Some are very serious and are based on scientific calculations, but many are just guesses. Example: Here’s a prediction: in 20 years, we’ll all drive less and eat a lot less meat.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prediction
First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin praedictiōn-, stem of praedictiō “prophecy”; equivalent to predict + -ion
Explanation
I have a prediction: You’ll know what this word means by the time you finish reading this explanation. A prediction is what someone thinks will happen. A prediction is a forecast, but not only about the weather. Pre means “before” and diction has to do with talking. So a prediction is a statement about the future. It’s a guess, sometimes based on facts or evidence, but not always. A fortune teller makes a prediction using a crystal ball. A meteorologist uses maps and scientific data to tell us about the possibility of rain, snow or sunshine. And when I made the prediction that you would understand what this word meant, it was based on instinct, a gut feeling telling me what would happen next.
Vocabulary lists containing prediction
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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The Scientific Method
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List 6
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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.
Prediction markets are essentially gambling websites where people bet on the outcome of events, including elections, sports, the weather, and more.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2026
Prediction market users trade on the outcome of future events, making money if they’re correct and losing money if they’re wrong.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
Prediction markets use clarifications to address ambiguities in how contracts will be settled, often when real-world events don’t fit neatly into the yes-or-no questions that users are wagering on.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Prediction market firms, banned in some countries and facing scrutiny in the US over insider trading allegations, allow users to bet on the outcomes of events ranging from conflicts to sports, politics and elections.
From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026
Prediction in history, as in other historical sciences, is most feasible on large spatial scales and over long times, when the unique features of millions of small-scale brief events become averaged out.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
