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predestine

[pri-des-tin]
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verb (used with object), pre·des·tined, pre·des·tin·ing.
  1. to destine in advance; foreordain; predetermine: He seemed predestined for the ministry.
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Origin of predestine

1350–1400; Middle English predestinen < Latin praedestināre. See pre-, destine
Related formspre·des·ti·na·ble, adjectiveun·pre·des·tined, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

chance, portion, doom, end, lot, cup, ending, preordain, effect, break, predetermine, destine, foreordain, issue, predestinate, stars, circumstance, consequence, destination, destiny

Examples from the Web for predestine

Historical Examples

  • He lived, as it were, under the shadow of some fatal curse which seemed to predestine all his actions to failure.

    Court Beauties of Old Whitehall

    W. R. H. Trowbridge

British Dictionary definitions for predestine

predestine

predestinate

verb (tr)
  1. to foreordain; determine beforehand
  2. theol (of God) to decree from eternity (any event, esp the final salvation of individuals)
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Derived Formspredestinable, adjective

Word Origin

C14: from Latin praedestināre to resolve beforehand, from destināre to determine, destine
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for predestine

v.

late 14c., "to foreordain," from Old French prédestiner (12c.) "predestine, ordain" (of God) and directly from Latin praedestinare "determine beforehand" (see predestination). Related: Predestined; predestining; predestinate.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper