Standard Lemma guide

prognosticate

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /pɹɒɡˈnɒstɪkeɪt/
  • CMU ARPABET: P R AA2 G N AA1 S T AH0 K EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To predict or forecast, especially through the application of skill.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Examining the tea-leaves, she prognosticated dark days ahead.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foretell, prophesy

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To presage, betoken.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The bluebells may prognosticate an early spring this year.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foretoken, foreshadow, portend

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

indicate by signs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • These signs bode bad news

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bode, portend, auspicate, omen, presage, betoken, foreshadow, augur, foretell, prefigure, forecast, predict

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bespeak, betoken, indicate, point, signal

Narrower terms: threaten, foreshow

4

verb

Meaning 4

make a prediction about; tell in advance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Call the outcome of an election

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: predict, foretell, call, forebode, anticipate, promise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: guess, venture, pretend, hazard

Narrower terms: read, second-guess, outguess, augur, bet, wager, forecast, calculate, prophesy, vaticinate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek προ- (pro-) Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh3- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh3tisder. Ancient Greek γνῶσις (gnôsis) ▲ Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τος (-tos) ▲ Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Ancient Greek -τῐκός (-tĭkós) Ancient Greek γνωστῐκός (gnōstĭkós) ▲ Ancient Greek προ- (pro-) ▲ Ancient Greek γνῶσῐς (gnôsĭs) Ancient Greek πρόγνωσῐς (prógnōsĭs) ▲ Ancient Greek -τῐκός (-tĭkós) Ancient Greek προγνωστῐκός (prognōstĭkós)der. Medieval Latin prognosticus Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Medieval Latin prognosticareder. English prognosticate From Medieval Latin prognosticare; see prognostic for more.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَنْذَرَ (ʔanḏara) — predict, foretell
  • Bulgarian: предсказвам (predskazvam) — predict, foretell
  • Bulgarian: прогнозирам (prognoziram) — predict, foretell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 預測 /预测 (yùcè) — predict, foretell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 預言 /预言 (yùyán) — predict, foretell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 預兆 /预兆 (yùzhào) — predict, foretell
  • Chinese Mandarin: 預知 /预知 (yùzhī) — predict, foretell
  • Danish: forudsige — predict, foretell
  • Danish: spå — predict, foretell
  • Faroese: spáa — predict, foretell
  • Finnish: ennustaa — predict, foretell
  • French: pronostiquer — predict, foretell
  • German: prognostizieren — predict, foretell
  • Hungarian: prognosztizál — predict, foretell
  • Icelandic: spá — predict, foretell
  • Ido: prognozar — predict, foretell
  • Latin: prognosticare — predict, foretell
  • Latin: ōminor — predict, foretell
  • Māori: waitohu — predict, foretell
  • Norwegian Bokmål: forutsi — predict, foretell
  • Norwegian Bokmål: spå — predict, foretell
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: spå — predict, foretell
  • Portuguese: prognosticar — predict, foretell
  • Russian: предска́зывать (predskázyvatʹ) — predict, foretell
  • Russian: прогнозировать (prognozirovatʹ) — predict, foretell
  • Spanish: pronosticar — predict, foretell
  • Swedish: förutsäga — predict, foretell
  • Swedish: spå — predict, foretell
  • Bulgarian: вещая (veštaja) — betoken
  • Bulgarian: предвещавам (predveštavam) — betoken
  • Finnish: enteillä — betoken
  • French: présager — betoken
  • Russian: предвеща́ть (predveščátʹ) — betoken
  • Swedish: förebåda — betoken