soothsayer
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of soothsayer
First recorded in 1300–50, soothsayer is from the Middle English word sothseyere, sothseyer. See sooth, say 1, -er 1
Explanation
A soothsayer is someone who can foretell the future. If the convincing soothsayer at the state fair tells you you'll soon meet someone tall, dark, and handsome, you'll probably keep your eye out for someone who fits that description. A fortune teller is also known as a soothsayer, or someone who claims to be able to predict the future. Long ago, a soothsayer might have been considered a useful consultant, even for a government, but today soothsayers are more likely to be scoffed at. Still, there are many soothsayers who have successful businesses telling people's fortunes and giving advice. Soothsayer comes from the Old English word for "truth," combined with "say," together meaning "an act of speaking the truth."
Vocabulary lists containing soothsayer
Julius Caesar
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The Westing Game
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The Wednesday Wars
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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.
A few days ago he posted a video with a woman who fashioned herself as a soothsayer.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
It led to “SNL Weekend Update” skits of their father, LaVar, who was a soothsayer telling everyone that his boys would be stars while granting any and all interviews to media and fans alike.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025
Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson: Tipping Real Madrid to win the Champions League is hardly the work of a soothsayer, but you are not likely to be far wrong.
From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025
But, the "You Must Remember This" host, who has guided listeners through Hollywood's first century for over eight years, is more than just a soothsayer of cinema's history.
From Salon • Jul. 15, 2023
The path that led to it was flanked by a garden, now planted with strange herbs of the type a spell-casting soothsayer might need, for professional purposes.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
