prognosticate

American  

[prog-nos-ti-keyt] / prɒgˈnɒs tɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

• prognosticates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prognosticated,
  past participle,  past
• prognosticating
  present participle

1. to forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy.

   Synonyms:

   project, foresee, foretell

2. to be a sign or indicator of a coming event.

   An overcast Groundhog Day is supposed to prognosticate an early spring.

---

verb (used without object)

• prognosticates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prognosticated,
  past participle,  past
• prognosticating
  present participle

1. to make a forecast; prophesy.

prognosticate British  

/ prɒɡˈnɒstɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to foretell (future events) according to present signs or indications; prophesy

2. (tr) to foreshadow or portend

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prognostication
  noun
• prognosticator
  noun
• nonprognosticative
  adjective
• prognosticative
  adjective
• prognosticatory
  adjective
• unprognosticated
  adjective
• unprognosticative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• prognosticating
  present
• prognosticated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prognosticate
  simple
• prognosticates
  simple
• have prognosticated
  perfect
• has prognosticated
  perfect
• am prognosticating
  progressive
• are prognosticating
  progressive
• is prognosticating
  progressive
• have been prognosticating
  perfect progressive
• has been prognosticating
  perfect progressive

Past

• prognosticated
  simple
• had prognosticated
  perfect
• was prognosticating
  progressive
• were prognosticating
  progressive
• had been prognosticating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prognosticate
  simple
• will have prognosticated
  perfect
• will be prognosticating
  progressive
• will have been prognosticating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of prognosticate

First recorded in 1375–1425; from late Middle English, from Medieval Latin prognōsticāt(us), past participle of prognōsticāre + -ate ¹ ( def. ); see prognostic

Explanation

To prognosticate means to predict something or at least hint at what will happen in the future. When a lot of natural disasters start happening close together, you might prognosticate that the world is ending, a prediction that's actually thousands of years old. From the Latin prognosticāre, meaning "make a prediction," the verb prognosticate means to foretell or predict what is coming. While a fortuneteller or palm reader might claim special powers for seeing into the future, you can prognosticate by looking at real evidence and making a reasonable conclusion about how events will unfold. Sometimes, though, what you prognosticate from a dream or a fortune-cookie message ends up happening too, which is less reasonable but pretty neat — unless the world really does end.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prognosticate prognosticates prognosticated prognosticating

It may be tempting to prognosticate about the end of these concurrent strikes, but history is of little help here: Past strikes have spanned months and lasted minutes.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 18, 2023

Because of his stature in Silicon Valley, Dr. Moore was often called on to prognosticate about the future of science and technology.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 24, 2023

“It’s a dangerous game to prognosticate on how elections are going to turn out before they are held,” he said.

From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2022

I’d love to prognosticate that the rebrand will be a failure and that humans will see though this massive public relations pivot.

From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2021

“Dear mountains! my own beautiful lake! how do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness?”

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

But company salesmen as a group are good prognosticates, and certain cities, such as Philadelphia and Boston, seem to be particularly seismographic in detecting the rumble of an approaching hit.

From Time Magazine Archive

The majority of pre-season prognosticates had picked the Reds and Yankees as favorites in the 1939 pennant race.

From Time Magazine Archive

On rare occasions, of course, the Supreme Court has mocked prognosticates with a ruling contrary to all expert expectation.

From Time Magazine Archive

Itching of the right-hand prognosticates that you will soon have a sum of money; and of the left, that you will be called upon to disburse it.

From Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 3 by Charles Mackay

To dream of the ash, is the sign of a long journey; and of an oak, prognosticates long life and prosperity.

From Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 3 by Charles Mackay

But investors should avoid jumping to conclusions, and not only because those who have prognosticated bitcoin’s demise have been wrong in the past.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

The 70-year-old executive has long prognosticated about risks he sees to the economy, though they often don’t come to pass.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026

For more nomination predictions, you can check out Times awards columnist Glenn Whipp’s final picks or see what the Envelope’s Buzzmeter panel has prognosticated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2024

Some aides found tweets by prominent figures who had prognosticated a gloomy night for Biden and publicly reminded them of their flawed predictions.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2022

Of the planets and signs in the heavens which prognosticated reted by the Mexicans; and of other matters 406 Notes   411 Transcriber's note: The following errata have been corrected in the text.

From The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 2 (of 2) Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain. by Bernal Díaz del Castillo

A truism I’ve learned from years of prognosticating about the fate of tech companies: Once they have a certain amount of talent and capital, startups in particular can be quite nimble.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Experts say it’s no coincidence that the flurry of doomed prognosticating about Gen Alpha emerged just as the oldest were entering puberty, the developmental apex of obnoxious behavior and poor taste.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2024

Still, Huth readily admits the value of dystopian prognosticating, and hopes it will continue.

From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2024

Looking forward is the purview of fans, not coaches, so forgive Maryland’s Kevin Willard if he’s not prognosticating matchups and brackets for the next three weeks.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 28, 2023

They would run a bookstore, give painting lessons, and assume Madame Ionesco’s bakehouse duties when she was off prognosticating, for they had surely learned a thing or two about baking while in Frankenforde.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood