prophet

noun

proph·​et ˈprä-fət 

1

: one who utters divinely inspired revelations: such as

a

often capitalized : the writer of one of the prophetic books of the Bible

b

capitalized : one regarded by a group of followers as the final authoritative revealer of God's will

Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah

2

: one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight

especially : an inspired poet

3

: one who foretells future events : predictor

4

: an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group

5

Christian Science

a

: a spiritual seer

b

: disappearance of material sense before the conscious facts of spiritual Truth

prophethood

ˈprä-fət-ˌhu̇d 

noun

Synonyms

• augur
• diviner
• forecaster
• foreseer
• foreteller
• fortune-teller
• futurist
• prognosticator
• prophesier
• seer
• soothsayer
• visionary

Examples of prophet in a Sentence

the words of the prophet

an economist who is regarded by many as a reliable prophet of future developments in the global economy

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, Bly resonates throughout the language and philosophy of Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, Tony Robbins, Andrew Tate, Josh Hawley, and other prophets of the modern men’s-rights movement. —Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024

Deion Sanders is a false prophet, the Bruce Lee of B.S., Harold Hill in designer shades. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2024

These non-denominational charismatics are very focused on modern prophecy, the belief that there are modern prophets. —Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2024

Authorities said Johnson was pressured by Bateman to give up three of his wives as atonement because Johnson wasn't treating Bateman as a prophet. —CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024

With Hollywood’s bulkiest coffers and most advanced technologies at his disposal, Villeneuve becomes a prophet in the wilderness, an evangelist for that old-time religion known as the movies. —Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2024

Godman believed that Glenn Taylor Helzer, who went by the name Taylor, was a prophet of God, the California Supreme Court said in its 85-page ruling, which was issued Monday. —Cameron MacDonald, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024

Joseph Smith, the LDS’s founder, prophet, and visionary, divined a temple city like Jerusalem as well as a religious state, to use a freighted term, so the Salt Lake Temple is a big deal. —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024

And, as a result, Keys’s performance became a lightning rod for casual music critics and prophets of technological dystopia alike. —Marc Hogan, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prophete, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin prophēta "spokesman or interpreter of a god" (Late Latin also prophētēs "revealer of God's will, foreteller of future events"), borrowed from Greek prophḗtēs "one who interprets the will of a god to humans, interpreter," (Septuagint) "revealer of God's will," (New Testament) "inspired preacher and teacher, foreteller of future events," from pro- pro- entry 1 + phē-, stem of phēmí, phánai "to speak, say" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at ban entry 1

Note: A few attestations in late Old English, apparently declined as a weak noun, are directly from Latin.

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prophet

• prophet of doom

Kids Definition

prophet

noun

proph·​et ˈpräf-ət 

1

: one who declares publicly a message that one believes has come from God or a god

2

: one who foretells future events