prophetess

American  

[prof-i-tis] / ˈprɒf ɪ tɪs /

noun

1. a woman who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.

2. a woman who foretells future events.

3. a woman who is aspokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement.

4. the wife or female companion of a prophet.

---

Gender

See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of prophetess

1250–1300; Middle English prophetesse < Old French < Late Latin prophētissa. See prophet, -ess

Example Sentences

The 5-inch drawing depicts the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, a blonde prophetess wearing a creamsicle gown painted onto the chapel ceiling’s eastern end.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

The wife, whom the Assemblies described as the prophetess, was later released following an unspecified medical episode, police said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

“She has overturned heaven and earth for us,” a young prophetess announces.

From Washington Post • Oct. 10, 2017

Greek myths narrate the failure of prediction: For the Trojan prophetess Cassandra, those in power found ways to ignore even her perfect prophecy.

From Slate • Jul. 8, 2016

The Pythoness, Apollo’s priestess and prophetess, had found him one morning, a little baby, lying on the temple stairway, and had brought him up as tenderly as a mother.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton