Prophet

Prophet

Noun · /ˈprɒfɪt/ · a person who speaks divine truth; one who predicts the future

Definition

A prophet is a person who is believed to speak on behalf of a god or divine force — delivering messages, warnings, or commands to a community. More broadly, a prophet is anyone who predicts or foresees the future with unusual conviction or accuracy. The word is used both in its strict religious sense and in a secular, metaphorical one: a prophet of doom, a prophet of the digital age.

Origin

From Old French prophète, from Latin propheta, from Greek prophētēs — one who speaks forth — from pro (before, forth) and phēmi (to speak). The same root that gives us phone, fame, and blasphemy (speaking wrongly). A prophet is literally a spokesperson — one who speaks for something larger than themselves.