predictive

American  

[pri-dik-tiv] / prɪˈdɪk tɪv /

adjective

1. 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.

2. used or useful for predicting or foretelling the future.

   Astrologers look for predictive signs among the stars.

3. being an indication of the future or of future conditions.

   The cold wind was predictive of snow.

4. 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.

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predictive British  

/ prɪˈdɪktɪv /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or making predictions

2. 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

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Other Word Forms

• nonpredictive adjective
• predictively adverb
• predictiveness noun
• unpredictive adjective
• unpredictively adverb

Etymology

Origin of predictive

First recorded in 1630–40; from Late Latin praedictīvus “foretelling”; see predict, -ive

Example Sentences

Instead, they produce responses via token prediction, effectively a more complex version of predictive text.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

The Fed didn’t always nail its colors to a predictive mast.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

SameDay Local also will offer real-time package tracking, predictive ETAs, and 24/7 support, among other features.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

But valuation indicators shed relatively little light on the market’s year-to-year returns, and have their greatest predictive power over longer periods, such as a decade.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

Even if we change the probability to one in a million for such a predictive dream, we’ll still get huge numbers of them by chance alone in a country the size of the United States.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos