prognosticate

verb

prog·​nos·​ti·​cate präg-ˈnä-stə-ˌkāt How to pronounce prognosticate (audio)
prognosticated; prognosticating

transitive verb

1
: to foretell from signs or symptoms : predict
2
: to give an indication of in advance : foreshadow
prognosticative adjective
prognosticator noun

Did you know?

Prognosticate, which ultimately traces back to the Greek word prognōstikos (“knowing beforehand, prescient”), first appears in English during the 15th century. Since that time, prognosticate has been connected with things that foreshadow events to come and with people who can prophesy or predict the future by such signs. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley used the “prophesy” sense of prognosticate in her Gothic horror novel Frankenstein as Victor Frankenstein writes of his feelings upon approaching Geneva: “I wept like a child. ‘Dear mountains! my own beautiful lake! how do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness?’” Other English words stitched together from prognōstikos that you may be familiar with include the nouns prognostic and prognosis, which also have senses related to foretelling. Prognostic can mean “prophecy,” while prognosis—used often in medical contexts to refer to the prospect of a patient’s recovery—can also mean “forecast.”

Choose the Right Synonym for prognosticate

foretell, predict, forecast, prophesy, prognosticate mean to tell beforehand.

foretell applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information.

seers foretold the calamity

predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature.

astronomers predicted an eclipse

forecast adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from predict in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties.

forecast snow

prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises.

prophesying a new messiah

prognosticate is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for predict or prophesy.

prognosticating the future

Examples of prognosticate in a Sentence

using current trends to prognosticate what the workplace of the future will be like
Recent Examples on the Web Still, there were some smart folks who prognosticated Hutchinson as the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year. 17a. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2024 Kendrick Lamar remains one of our most exciting superstars because of the inherent unpredictability of his artistry, so when prognosticating how this beef affects his future, the answer has to be: TBD. Angel Diaz, Billboard, 14 May 2024 Overjoyed economists began prognosticating as many as six rate cuts in 2024, which resulted in the Dow Jones shooting up to record levels and the bulls claiming a recession had been definitively avoided. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 7 May 2024 The reason groundhogs actually emerge in February Not to worry though: Woodchucks called upon for winter prognosticating duties on Groundhog Day aren't necessarily being unnaturally stirred. USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prognosticate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prognosticate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pronosticaten "to make a prediction, make a prognosis, portend," borrowed from Medieval Latin pronōsticātus, past participle of prognōsticāre, pronōsticāre "to predict, forecast, portend," derivative of Late Latin prognōsticum prognostic entry 1

Note: Compare Middle French pronostiquer, formed directly from the Medieval Latin verb.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prognosticate was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near prognosticate

Cite this Entry

“Prognosticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prognosticate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

prognosticate

verb
prog·​nos·​ti·​cate präg-ˈnäs-tə-ˌkāt How to pronounce prognosticate (audio)
prognosticated; prognosticating
prognosticator noun

Medical Definition

prognosticate

transitive verb
prog·​nos·​ti·​cate präg-ˈnäs-tə-ˌkāt How to pronounce prognosticate (audio)
prognosticated; prognosticating
: to make a prognosis about the probable outcome of
prognostication noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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