prédiction

Forms

prédiction f (plural prédictions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin praedictiō (“a foretelling, a thing foretold”), from praedīcō (“to foretell”).^[2][3][4][1] It serves as the action noun of prédire.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi first finds it in 1509, in Lemaire de Belges' Légende des Vénitiens, both for the act of foretelling and for the words that foretell.^[2][5] The Robert dictionaries and the GLLF date it to 1549, in Estienne's dictionary.^[3][6][7]

Semantic evolution

From the start it meant both the act of foretelling and, by metonymy, what was foretold.^[5] In the 16th century it is used of oracles and of soothsayers' forecasts.^[4] From 1778 (Buffon) it also meant foreseeing a thing by observation and reasoning, a sense later lost to prévision.^[2][5] In the French of the Indian Ocean, probably by confusion with prédication, it is used for “speech” or “sermon”.^[5]

Timeline

• 1509 – Lemaire de Belges uses prédiction of foretelling and its words.^[2]
• 1549 – Estienne records the word in his dictionary.^[6][3]
• 1778 – Buffon uses it of foreseeing by reasoning.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of foretelling the future, and the words by which it is foretold: les prédictions d'une voyante.^[7][8][2]
2. What is foretold, a prediction or prophecy: sa prédiction ne s'est jamais accomplie.^[8][9][7]
3. An announcement of future events based on knowledge of laws or on reasoning.^[9][2]

Related words

• prédire
• prévision
• Latin praedictiō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)