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• prophet
  prophet

  noun

  a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.
• Prophet
  Prophet

  noun

  the principal designation of Mohammed as the founder of Islam

prophet

American  

[prof-it] / ˈprɒf ɪt /

noun

• prophets
  plural

1. a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.

2. (in the Old Testament)

   1. a person chosen to speak for God and to guide the people of Israel.

      Moses was the greatest of Old Testament prophets.

   2. (often initial capital letter) one of the Major or Minor Prophets.

   3. one of a band of ecstatic visionaries claiming divine inspiration and, according to popular belief, possessing magical powers.

   4. a person who practices divination.

3. 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.

4. the Prophet, Muhammad, the founder of Islam.

5. a person regarded as, or claiming to be, an inspired teacher or leader.

6. a person who foretells or predicts what is to come.

   a weather prophet; prophets of doom.

7. a spokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement.

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Prophet ¹ British  

/ ˈprɒfɪt /

noun

1. the principal designation of Mohammed as the founder of Islam

2. a name for Joseph Smith as founder of the Mormon Church

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prophet ² British  

/ ˈprɒfɪt /

noun

1. a person who supposedly speaks by divine inspiration, esp one through whom a divinity expresses his will

2. a person who predicts the future

   a prophet of doom

3. a spokesman for a movement, doctrine, etc

4. Christian Science

   1. a seer in spiritual matters

   2. the vanishing of material sense to give way to the conscious facts of spiritual truth

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prophet Cultural  

1. Someone who brings a message from God to people. The best-known prophets are those of the Old Testament. Their most frequent themes were true worship of God, upright living, and the coming of the Messiah. They often met with bitter resistance when they spoke against the idol worship and immorality of their people. Among the prophets of the Old Testament were Daniel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Moses. Prophets also appear in the New Testament. Jesus called John the Baptist a prophet; Christians (see also Christian) consider him a bridge between the prophets of the Old Testament and those of the New Testament. Jesus mentions “true prophets” and “false prophets” — those who present the true message of God and those who present a counterfeit (see By their fruits ye shall know them and wolves in sheep's clothing). He himself was considered a prophet in his lifetime (see A prophet is not without honor save in his own country) and is still widely revered by non-Christians as a prophet, though not as the Messiah. The New Testament also mentions that some of the early Christians were prophets who spoke inspired messages to their communities.

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Discover More

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prophetess
  noun
• prophethood
  noun
• prophet-like
  adjective
• prophetless
  adjective
• prophetlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prophets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prophet

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prophet Prophet prophets

In late 2019, Icahn became the prophet of the modern exodus: He told his employees, pack your bags for Florida.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

During Eid al-Adha, observers honor the sacrifice of the prophet Abraham and prepare halal meat to share with family, friends and those in need.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

But she thinks the prophet used her and Charmain for his own gain.

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

Teiresias, the prophet who had brought so many distressful prophecies to the royal family, came to bring still another.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Arbaeen, which means forty in Arabic, marks the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed and a founding figure in Shia Islam.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

He wore a black turban, signifying direct descendance from the Prophet Muhammad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Once, during a Passover Seder, Aft introduced me to his congregation as the Prophet Elijah.

From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026

On Tuesday, the climax of the hajj is the gathering on Mount Arafat, about 10 kilometres from Mina, where it is believed the Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.

From Barron's ● May 25, 2026

He holds up a picture of kids sitting in trees, singing to welcome the Prophet to Medina.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Nothing of that great regional upheaval greedily foretold by the prophets of Western decline.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Indeed, in both cases, followers of the dead prophets are constantly finding new meaning in old prophecies.

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

Tourists have long come here, whether to day-trip through hiking trails where prophets once trod or visit the village’s different churches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025

I gagged down a sandwich and some pills at my locker, then headed for the library, the safe haven of freaks, geeks and small-town prophets.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Related Words

• prognosticator
• seer
• witch