doomsayer · noun — one who makes dire predictions about the future; one who predicts doom. It carries an Arena rating of 1531, earned across 34 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, doomsayer ranks #873 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #1,322 of 17,128 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,512 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #3,900 of 17,163 for Funniest Words.
doomsayer is pronounced /ˈduːmˌseɪ.ə/.
Why “doomsayer” is a great word
DOOMSAYER — [Noun] A person who habitually predicts catastrophe or disaster. From the English words 'doom' (meaning fate, judgment, or catastrophe) and 'sayer' (meaning one who says or proclaims). First attested in the mid-20th century (1950–55). Unlike a realist, who appraises with pragmatic detachment, or an optimist, who anticipates favorable outcomes, the doomsayer is defined by a singular, rehearsed pessimism. It is the hand-lettered sign clutched on a street corner, the steady voice in the conference room detailing the precise mechanics of collapse, and the quiet conviction in a darkened room that the worst outcome is the only true one—a figure who finds a strange, cold comfort in the certainty of an ending.
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Etymology
From doom + sayer.
noun
- One who makes dire predictions about the future; one who predicts doom.e.g.“Even from the doomsayers you hear reflections of hope. Nobody wants "it" to happen. In his darkest moments, man is aware that, while he may be limited, humankind need not be.” — 1970, Frank Herbert, New world or no world, page 141:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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