a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.
(in the Old Testament)
a person chosen to speak for God and to guide the people of Israel.
Moses was the greatest of Old Testament prophets.
(often initial capital letter) one of the Major or Minor Prophets.
one of a band of ecstatic visionaries claiming divine inspiration and, according to popular belief, possessing magical powers.
a person who practices divination.
one of a class of persons in the early church, next in order after the apostles, recognized as inspired to utter special revelations and predictions. 1 Corinthians 12:28.
the Prophet, Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
a person regarded as, or claiming to be, an inspired teacher or leader.
a person who foretells or predicts what is to come.
a weather prophet; prophets of doom.
a spokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement.
the principal designation of Mohammed as the founder of Islam
a name for Joseph Smith as founder of the Mormon Church
a person who supposedly speaks by divine inspiration, esp one through whom a divinity expresses his will
a person who predicts the future
a prophet of doom
a spokesman for a movement, doctrine, etc
Christian Science
a seer in spiritual matters
the vanishing of material sense to give way to the conscious facts of spiritual truth
In general usage, a “prophet” is someone who can foretell the future. The prophets of the Bible (see also Bible) often made predictions, which confirmed their authority when the predictions came true, but changing the lives of their people was a more central part of their mission.
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English prophete, from Late Latin prophēta, from Greek prophḗtēs, equivalent to pro- “before (in time, place, precedence, dignity)” + -phētēs “speaker,” derivative of phánai “to speak”; see also pro- 2
By the time you finish reading this definition, you will understand what a prophet is. How do I know? Perhaps I am a prophet, someone who can predict the future. Or maybe it’s just a guess. The future is a foggy mystery, but a prophet sees beyond that fog to speak about what’s to come. A fortune teller is a prophet, and so is a savvy computer designer who knows how technology will change in ten years. Prophet comes from the Greek word for “spokesman,” which explains another definition of prophet: someone who speaks on behalf of God. Prophet is pronounced the same as profit, and some prophets use their talents to earn lots of profit.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As he poured the traditional cup of wine for the prophet, Rabbi Aft reminded his community that Elijah wanders the earth disguised as a stranger, testing humanity’s capacity for hospitality, compassion and kindness.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
Charmain, originally from Arbroath, met the prophet through a Christian dating site in spring 2014 and after a whirlwind romance they married in September that year.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
He also recalled the prophet Isaiah’s words: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
He is a role model, prophet and genius who breaks the rules and wins anyway.
From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2026
These words had been uttered by the prophet, Isaiah, who had been called the Eagle-eyed because he had looked down the dark centuries and foreseen the birth of Christ.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
David Aaker, the author of several bestselling branding books and vice chairman of consultancy firm Prophet, called these a smart brand-building move.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The Iranians picked a quote referring to the Battle of Badr, in which the Prophet Muhammad’s followers defeated a much larger force through what was interpreted as a divine intervention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Once, during a Passover Seder, Aft introduced me to his congregation as the Prophet Elijah.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
It reenacts the Prophet Abraham's stoning of the devil at three places where Satan is said to have tried to dissuade him from obeying God's command to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
He was always eager for news of Caroline, who was prospering in Baltimore as the Prophet Jeremiah claimed only the wicked do.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
They believe that God speaks directly to and through the NAR’s anointed apostles and prophets about current and sometimes future events.
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026
His first Davos appearance in 2018 met occasional boos but he made a forceful return in 2020 when he dismissed the "prophets of doom" on climate and the economy.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
Williams drew on the Hebrew prophets to “describe his ideal of a Christian society”; Penn ensured that his colony’s statutes protected religious liberty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025
“God sends prophets here and there into the earth,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2025
He had been ministered to by angels, he said, like the prophets of old.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
