Standard Lemma guide

self-fulfilling

adj · 1 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The prediction of poor turnout for the event was self-fulfilling: once people heard the turnout would be bad, they didn't come.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbh-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English fulfilling English self-fulfilling From self- + fulfilling.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: sebenaplňující — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • Finnish: itsensä toteuttava — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • French: autoréalisateur — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • German: selbsterfüllend — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • Irish: féin-chomhlíontach — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • Spanish: autocumplido — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • Spanish: autorrealizado — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted
  • Swedish: självuppfyllande — describing a prediction that causes itself to occur as predicted