predictor
Americannoun
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predictors
plural
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a person or thing that predicts.
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Mathematics. a formula for determining additional values or derivatives of a function from the relationship of its given values.
noun
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a person or thing that predicts
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an instrument, used in conjunction with an anti-aircraft gun, that determines the speed, distance, height, and direction of hostile aircraft
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statistics a more modern term for independent variable
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of predictor
From the Medieval Latin word praedictor, dating back to 1645–55. See predict, -tor
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.
See Examples For:
Extensive research confirms the axiom that a sense of civic duty is the strongest predictor of whether someone will vote.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Chris was the only predictor who saw Manchester City's win at Liverpool coming.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
“We can look at the past as the best predictor for the future,” said Dave Bader, chief operations and education officer at the center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Sustained economic growth is the surest predictor of a country’s ability to withstand climate shocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
For such genes, neither the genotype nor the environment is the sole predictor of outcome: it is the intersection of genes, environment, and chance.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
In the run-up to its Mumbai debut, grey market platforms showed a premium of around 22 percent for Jio shares, although experts caution that such unofficial indicators can be unreliable predictors of early trading.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
Last season, none of the BBC predictors backed United to make the top four, and they finished third.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Mr. Friedman cites research that “people’s belief about their team’s ability is one of the best predictors of a team’s actual performance,” yet there is still potential for bias.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
There is also value in distinguishing between information and action — research on perceived control and stress consistently shows that the gap between awareness and agency is one of the strongest predictors of psychological distress.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 16, 2026
The predictors of a crown, with a royal exchequer from the alchemists, seduced the imagination, and a’Laski invited the sages with their families to reside at his castle.
From Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Isaac Disraeli
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