predictive

[pri-dik-tiv]

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of predictive¹

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

Example Sentences

Jasper Hellweg, a securities analyst of healthcare and insider trends at Argus Research, which owns Vicker’s, said the ratio has little predictive power at these levels.

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Another goal is to decrease the use of hazardous chemicals and reduce the size and energy demand of hardware by applying advanced predictive technologies for high-power vortices.

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As predictive indicators, those presale numbers are useful.

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The point made by Finkelstein and Schaus is that valuation is not predictive for short-term performance, but nonetheless it does make a good argument for diversification into bonds, commodities and cheaper international equity markets.

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A world model learns about the world around it by taking in visual information, much like a baby animal or young child does, versus LLMs, which are predictive models based on vast databases of text.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal