prognosticate

American  

[prog-nos-ti-kayt] / 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.

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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

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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

Krzysztof Warlikowski’s absurdist version of Verdi’s “Macbeth” in Salzburg has Lady Macbeth visit an obstetrician and discover she is infertile as sunglass-adorned witches prognosticate while wearing yellow-and-black armbands warning of radioactivity.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 15, 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

As a result, instead of focusing on case counts to prognosticate about omicron, policymakers should follow more reliable metrics, particularly the number of hospitalized patients who are receiving oxygen.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 30, 2021

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

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

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

To dream of flying like a bird, and perching on a tree, prognosticates rain and bad weather.

From Aino Folk-Tales by Basil Hall Chamberlain

To see mustard growing, and green, foretells success and joy to the farmer, and to the seafaring it prognosticates wealth.

From Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted, or what's in a dream: a scientific and practical exposition by Gustavus Hindman Miller

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

When the Tartar monster expired at last, Ivan appeared at its deathbed like a physician, who prognosticated and speculated on death rather than like a warrior who imparted it.

From Secret Diplomatic History of The Eighteenth Century by Karl Marx

After all the strategizing and prognosticating, what no one can predict is which films will actually connect once audiences arrive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

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

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

“A bit, yes. She’s usually busy prognosticating all over the neighborhood. You’d be amazed what people will pay for a glimpse of the Great Unknown.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood