predictive
Americanadjective
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of or relating to prediction.
The predictive power of the software is its ability to analyze relationships in the data at a speed and on a scale not previously possible.
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used or useful for predicting or foretelling the future.
Astrologers look for predictive signs among the stars.
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being an indication of the future or of future conditions.
The cold wind was predictive of snow.
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Digital Technology. relating to or being computer or smartphone software that uses the text just entered in a message or document to suggest words that may be wanted next.
There's a combination of artificial intelligence and special algorithms in the code that makes the predictive text happen.
adjective
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of, relating to, or making predictions
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text messaging (of mobile phone technology) enabling mobile phones to predict the word being entered in a text message from the first few letters
predictive texting
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of predictive
First recorded in 1630–40; from Late Latin praedictīvus “foretelling”; see predict, -ive
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.
This allowed the Space4Nature team to develop a predictive model for grassland and lowland heathland habitats.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Canary now analyzes the predictive value of purchases or sales of shares from a given company insider.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
“One of the bigger challenges for AI shopping assistants and the chatbots is really trying to get to true personalization that’s both predictive and meaningful,” she said.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
"Future research should explore whether these findings extend to other cohorts and whether the changes recorded are sustained or predictive of long-term outcomes."
From Science Daily • May 12, 2026
There’s no need to invoke any special parapsychological abilities; the ordinariness of apparently predictive dreams does not need any ex plaining.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
