Etymologically
Log in

prophetia

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 18:58. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [prɔ.pʰeːˈtiː.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [pro.feˈt͡siː.a][1]

Forms

prophētīa f (genitive prophētīae); first declension[1] Medieval Latin also spelled it prophecia.[2] Gildas writes profetia.[3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek προφητεία (prophēteía, “gift of interpreting the will of the gods; prophecy”),[4][5][3][2] from προφήτης (prophḗtēs, “prophet”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is an Ecclesiastical word,[4] first found in Tertullian's On the Soul, meaning a prophecy or prediction.[4][5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

In the Vulgate it means a prophecy,[4][6] and in the books of Chronicles also a body of prophets or singers.[4] Augustine uses it in the City of God.[5][8]

Medieval Latin added the gift of prophecy, often as spiritus prophetiae,[9][3] the office of a prophet,[3] the prophetical books of the Old Testament,[9] and an anthem of the introit containing the prophecy of Zechariah on the coming of John the Baptist.[9] It also served as the title of prophetic writings, such as the prophetia of Merlin cited by Orderic Vitalis.[3] Through Old French it gave English prophecy around 1200;[2] Spanish profecia and Italian profezia come from it too.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it for prophecy.[4][5][7]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it in the City of God.[5][8][7]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it for a prophecy and for a body of prophets or singers.[4][7]
  • c. 1200 – English borrows it as prophecy.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A prophecy, prediction.[4][5][10][9]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A body of prophets or singers.[4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) The gift or spirit of prophecy.[9][3]
  4. (Medieval Latin) The office of a prophet.[3]
  5. (Medieval Latin) The prophetical books of the Old Testament.[9]
  6. (Medieval Latin, liturgy) An anthem of the introit containing the prophecy of Zechariah.[9]

Word family

  • prophetialis

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson