prophetic

American  

[pruh-fet-ik] / prəˈfɛt ɪk /

Sometimes prophetical

adjective

1. of or relating to a prophet.

   prophetic inspiration.

2. of the nature of or containing prophecy.

   prophetic writings.

3. having the function or powers of a prophet, as a person.

4. predictive; presageful or portentous; ominous.

   prophetic signs; prophetic warnings.

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prophetic British  

/ prəˈfɛtɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a prophet or prophecy

2. containing or of the nature of a prophecy; predictive

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Other Word Forms

• propheticality
  noun
• propheticalness
  noun
• hyperprophetic
  adjective
• hyperprophetical
  adjective
• nonprophetic
  adjective
• nonprophetical
  adjective
• postprophetic
  adjective
• postprophetical
  adjective
• preprophetic
  adjective
• pseudoprophetic
  adjective
• pseudoprophetical
  adjective
• quasi-prophetic
  adjective
• quasi-prophetical
  adjective
• unprophetic
  adjective
• unprophetical
  adjective
• hyperprophetically
  adverb
• nonprophetically
  adverb
• prophetically
  adverb
• quasi-prophetically
  adverb
• unprophetically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of prophetic

First recorded in 1585–95; from Late Latin prophēticus, from Greek prophētikós; equivalent to prophet + -ic

Explanation

If you make a prediction and it comes true, your words were prophetic. Like the time you warned your dad against eating a whole box of donuts. He got sick, right? That was a prophetic warning. The adjective prophetic traces all the way back to the Greek word prophētikos, meaning "predicting." You know who's really good at predicting stuff? Prophets. Usually, prophetic is used to describe a thing — like a warning, a feeling, or a complaint — rather than a person.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prophetic

"Harry Kane could end up being one of the greatest English strikers we've ever seen," he said, with some prophetic accuracy, considering Kane became England's greatest goal scorer in subsequent appearances.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

The creatures faced a prophetic choice: munch on the grass on the side marked with a Mexican flag, or opt for the greenery on the opposing South African side.

From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026

I won’t reveal the final result, but McGraw’s comment, when asked where he would position his outfielders when the Babe came to the plate, was prophetic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Robert Altemeyer, a Canadian psychologist, described such people in 2006 in an eerily prophetic manner:

From Salon ● May 18, 2026

His father’s face, always awful, became more awful now; his father’s daily anger was transformed into prophetic wrath.

From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin

Related Words

• apocalyptic
• prescient