prophet means any of the prophets mentioned in the Bible, especially an author of one of the Prophets. It carries an Arena rating of 1496, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, prophet ranks #2,447 of 17,052 for Most Storied Words, #2,574 of 17,052 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #3,000 of 17,052 for Scariest Words, #6,671 of 17,052 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
prophet is pronounced /ˈpɹɒf.ɪt/.
Why “prophet” is a great word
A person regarded as an inspired teacher, spokesperson, or revealer of the will of a deity. From Middle English prophete, from Anglo-Norman prophete, from Latin prophēta, from Ancient Greek προφήτης (prophḗtēs, 'spokesperson, interpreter'), from πρό (pró, 'before, for') + φημί (phēmí, 'to speak'). Unlike an oracle, which is a place or a medium of consultation, or a seer, whose gift is narrowly focused on foreseeing events, the prophet is the divine messenger, the voice that speaks for a power beyond comprehension. It is the lonely figure crying in the wilderness, the hand trembling as it inscribes the sacred text, the unbearable burden of knowing what is to come—a vessel not for answers, but for a truth too heavy for ordinary hearts to bear.
Etymology
From Middle English prophete, from Anglo-Norman prophete, from Latin prophēta, from Ancient Greek προφήτης (prophḗtēs, “one who speaks for a god”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + φημί (phēmí, “to tell”). Displaced native Old English wītga.
name
- Any of the prophets mentioned in the Bible, especially an author of one of the Prophets.
- Jesus.
- Muhammad.e.g.“He would sit crouched up in a corner of the cave all day long, calling upon Allah and the Prophet to protect him.”
- A surname
noun
- Someone who speaks by divine inspiration.e.g.“Muslims believe that Muhammad was the final prophet sent to mankind.”
- Someone who predicts the future; a soothsayer.
Words closest in meaning
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