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prophecy

American  

[prof-uh-see] / ˈprɒf ə si /

noun

• prophecies
  plural

1. 

   the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.

2. something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.

3. a divinely inspired utterance or revelation.

   oracular prophecies.

4. the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.

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prophecy British  

/ ˈprɒfɪsɪ /

noun

1. 1. a message of divine truth revealing God's will

   2. the act of uttering such a message

2. a prediction or guess

3. the function, activity, or charismatic endowment of a prophet or prophets

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Commonly Confused

The French-derived noun prophecy and the related verb prophesy have a unique history. Before English spelling became relatively stabilized, they were both spelled many different ways—some with a c, some with an s, and even, at least in the case of the noun, some with a t (as in the corresponding modern French form prophétie ). But in the 18th century, the great diversity of spellings for these words settled down, with the c form becoming standard for the noun and the s form for the verb. At some point the pronunciation of the verb was also distinguished from that of the noun, so that instead of rhyming with see, like the noun, the verb rhymed with sigh —perhaps by analogy with the many verbs ending in -fy ( testify, stupefy, etc.). Considering the close relationship between the words, it is not surprising that they are easily confused; in particular, it is not unusual to see the noun written with an s, just as was often done before the 18th century. We may even prophesy that, over time, the form will once again become a completely acceptable spelling for the noun. But until then, careful writers and speakers maintain the conventional and long-established distinction between the two words in both spelling and pronunciation. Similarly, the verb "prophesize" (or "prophecize")—resulting from confusion between prophesy and verbs ending in -ize like proselytize and prioritize —is regarded as nonstandard. When you make a prophecy (sounds like see ), you are prophesying (sounds like sighing ).

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prophecies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of prophecy

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prophecie, from Old French, from Late Latin prophētīa, from Greek prophēteía; see prophet, -y ³

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Explanation

If a fortune teller made a prophecy that you were going to become a billionaire in your lifetime, you'd be pretty excited. A prophecy is a prediction, or a magical look into the future. The noun prophecy means a magical foreknowledge, although it can also be used in a playful way to describe an ordinary guess or prediction about the future. So you could say, "Her prophecy for the weather next week is incredibly depressing." The word comes from the Greek prophetia — literally, "gift of interpreting the will of the gods". The verb form is prophesy, or predict, and it's spelled with an s instead of a c.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prophecy prophecies

Pastor Joseph Hutchinson began a recent Sunday sermon by pointing to the Book of Revelation, the final part of the New Testament best known for apocalyptic prophecy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Many parts of the Pacific today hold deep-rooted beliefs in Old Testament prophecy, which holds that Jews are destined to one day return to the Land of Israel.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Past performance is hardly prophecy, and even Kaeppel admits that he has struggled to produce an explanation for why this seven-year cycle has seemingly worked as well as it has.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

The prophecy also claims that the fated twins have the power to command daemons, supernatural beings with unearthly abilities.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

The sources agree that Mary and Joseph fled the wrath of King Herod, since Herod had heard a prophecy about a newborn Messiah.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Mr. Sutton weaves these forms of 1970s Christianity together by explaining that their various exponents used ancient prophecies to understand the nation’s “Christian destiny.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

Forgive me, but I have seen and heard prophecies emanating from what must be the same Doomsday Machine before.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

"Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise?"

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

I was a fresh-faced high school senior, living out the prime of my teenage youth in an increasingly progressive world where fundamentalist doomsday prophecies were lobbed around in jest.

From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2025

"You know prophecies always have double meanings. It might not literally mean you die."

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

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Related Words

• apocalypse
• prognostication
• revelation

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