prophetic

/pɹəˈfɛtɪk/

Group 4Difficulty 1/3

Definition

(adjective)
Accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future
GRE

Example in Context

The economist's prophetic warnings about the housing bubble went unheeded until the market collapsed spectacularly.

Synonyms

predictivevisionaryforeseeing

Etymology

Refers to the ability to predict or describe future events.

  • prophetas (Greek) — one who speaks for God

Memory Aid

🔮Sounds like “prophet tick

Imagine a prophet who's so good, he can TICK off every future event on a giant calendar — that's PROPhetic!

Visual Association

🔮A mystic gazing into a crystal ball, revealing shocking future events to a captivated audience.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “prophetic” mean on the GRE?

prophetic (adjective) means “Accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future”. The economist's prophetic warnings about the housing bubble went unheeded until the market collapsed spectacularly.

How to remember “prophetic” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “prophetic” sounds like “prophet tick”. Imagine a prophet who's so good, he can TICK off every future event on a giant calendar — that's PROPhetic!

What are synonyms for “prophetic”?

Common synonyms: predictive, visionary, foreseeing.