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View synonyms for prophecy

prophecy

[prof-uh-see]

noun

plural

prophecies 
  1. the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.

  2. something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.

  3. a divinely inspired utterance or revelation.

    oracular prophecies.

  4. the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.



prophecy

/ ˈprɒfɪsɪ /

noun

    1. a message of divine truth revealing God's will

    2. the act of uttering such a message

  1. a prediction or guess

  2. the function, activity, or charismatic endowment of a prophet or prophets

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Confusables Note

The French-derived noun prophecy and the related verb prophesy have a unique history. Before English spelling became relatively stabilized, they were both spelled many different ways—some with a c, some with an s, and even, at least in the case of the noun, some with a t (as in the corresponding modern French form prophétie ). But in the 18th century, the great diversity of spellings for these words settled down, with the c form becoming standard for the noun and the s form for the verb. At some point the pronunciation of the verb was also distinguished from that of the noun, so that instead of rhyming with see, like the noun, the verb rhymed with sigh —perhaps by analogy with the many verbs ending in -fy ( testify, stupefy, etc.). Considering the close relationship between the words, it is not surprising that they are easily confused; in particular, it is not unusual to see the noun written with an s, just as was often done before the 18th century. We may even prophesy that, over time, the form will once again become a completely acceptable spelling for the noun. But until then, careful writers and speakers maintain the conventional and long-established distinction between the two words in both spelling and pronunciation. Similarly, the verb "prophesize" (or "prophecize")—resulting from confusion between prophesy and verbs ending in -ize like proselytize and prioritize —is regarded as nonstandard. When you make a prophecy (sounds like see ), you are prophesying (sounds like sighing ).
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Word History and Origins

Origin of prophecy1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prophecie, from Old French, from Late Latin prophētīa, from Greek prophēteía; prophet, -y 3
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Word History and Origins

Origin of prophecy1

C13: ultimately from Greek prophētēs prophet
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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.

Payroll itself should not define competitive balance, but that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if an owner decides competing with the Dodgers would be no less futile by spending another $25 million on players.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And he delivered the kind of game the baseball world dreamed about when the two-way phenom first arrived from Japan, fulfilling the prophecy that accompanied him as a near-mythical prospect eight years earlier.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Linklater’s movies have frequently featured affable underdogs, but by contrast, “Blue Moon” is an elegy to a bitter, insecure man whose view of himself as a failure has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Yet his popularity among White Christians has not suffered; if anything, he fits their “Cyrus prophecy” about how wicked men can be used to fulfill God’s plans for the nation.

Read more on Salon

"I'm concerned about the narrative which is that young men are drifting towards the right being seen as a self-fulfilling prophecy where young men are then considered a problem," he says.

Read more on BBC

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prophaseprophesy