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

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

People in the apostolic movement live in what they consider to be a prophetic moment, when God will reveal what is to come.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

At a memorial service for the Rev. Jesse Jackson, his son Jesse Jr. praised his “consistent prophetic voice.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

It certainly seems like the Cannes jury made some prophetic choices: the crop of films that premiered at the festival earned a total of 19 Oscar nominations.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

Harry Redknapp's public defence of a young Frank Lampard in his early days at West Ham is as famous as it was prophetic.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

Though this was really an emergency proposal dictated by the military crisis, and was ultimately rejected by the planter class in South Carolina and Georgia, its very suggestion seemed prophetic.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• apocalyptic
• prescient