forecast

[fawr-kast, -kahst, fohr-]

verb (used with object), fore·cast or fore·cast·ed, fore·cast·ing.

to predict (a future condition or occurrence); calculate in advance: to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.

to serve as a prediction of; foreshadow.

to contrive or plan beforehand; prearrange.

verb (used without object), fore·cast or fore·cast·ed, fore·cast·ing.

to conjecture beforehand; make a prediction.

to plan or arrange beforehand.

noun

a prediction, especially as to the weather.

a conjecture as to something in the future.

the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.

Archaic. foresight in planning.

Origin of forecast

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) plan. See fore-, cast

Related formsfore·cast·a·ble, adjectivefore·cast·er, nounre·fore·cast, verb (used with object), re·fore·cast or re·fore·cast·ed, re·fore·cast·ing.un·fore·cast, adjectiveun·fore·cast·ed, adjective

Synonyms for forecast

1. foretell, anticipate. 3. project. 4, 7. guess, estimate. 9. forethought, prescience.

Synonym study

1. See predict.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for reforecast

forecast

verb -casts, -casting, -cast or -casted

to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance

(tr) to serve as an early indication of

(tr) to plan in advance

noun

a statement of probable future weather conditions calculated from meteorological data

a prophecy or prediction

the practice or power of forecasting

Derived Formsforecaster, noun

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

Word Origin and History for reforecast

forecast

late 14c., "to scheme," from fore- "before" + casten "contrive." Meaning "predict events" first attested late 15c. Related: Forecasted; forecasting.

forecast

early 15c., probably from forecast (v.); earliest sense was "forethought, prudence;" meaning "conjectured estimate of a future course" is from 1670s. A Middle English word for weather forecasting was aeromancy.