predestination

noun

pre·​des·​ti·​na·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌde-stə-ˈnā-shən 

ˌprē-de-

1

: the act of predestinating : the state of being predestinated

2

: the doctrine that God in consequence of his foreknowledge of all events infallibly guides those who are destined for salvation

Examples of predestination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thus, David seeks to regain control of his life, presenting a thrilling exploration of the philosophical tension that exists between free will and predestination. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024

Request a Demo Rorty’s version of redemption stands out against certain religious strands in that it is explicitly set against predestination or essentialism. —Big Think, 14 June 2024

This is a fun twist on the ancient idea of prophecy or predestination and, as such, makes for some compelling narrative uses—for a while, anyway. —Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023

Entertainment Score: 7 Science Score: 9 Arrival (2016) Enlarge / Denis Villeneuve's first foray into sci-fi offers a fun twist on the ancient idea of prophesy or predestination. —Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

predestination

noun

pre·​des·​ti·​na·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌdes-tə-ˈnā-shən 

1

a

: the act of predestining

b

: the state of being predestined

2

: the doctrine that God has predestined some persons to eternal happiness and others to eternal punishment