Library / English Dictionary

PROPHECY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source)

Synonyms:

prognostication; prophecy; vaticination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("prophecy" is a kind of...):

anticipation; prediction; prevision (the act of predicting (as by reasoning about the future))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "prophecy"):

crystal gazing (staring into a crystal ball to arouse visions of future or distant events)

divination; foretelling; fortune telling; soothsaying (the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means)

Derivation:

prophetic; prophetical (foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A prediction uttered under divine inspiration

Synonyms:

divination; prophecy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("prophecy" is a kind of...):

forecasting; foretelling; prediction; prognostication (a statement made about the future)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "prophecy"):

oracle (a prophecy (usually obscure or allegorical) revealed by a priest or priestess; believed to be infallible)

Derivation:

prophetic; prophetical (foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention)

Credits

 Context examples: 

It was only next day, when Wainwright Island loomed to windward, close abeam, that Wolf Larsen opened his mouth in prophecy.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And upon this, and him, Louis passed judgment and prophecy.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)