prophet English · revision 10688

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1175|origins=fro prophete|origins=la propheta|origins=grc προφήτης}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈprɒf.ɪt/, US /ˈprɑː.fɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|prophete]] and directly from Latin prophēta,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Greek [[m|grc|προφήτης|tr=prophḗtēs|t=interpreter, spokesman of the gods]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from pro-, before, for, and the root of phánai, to speak.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) The Greek word translated Hebrew nābī in the Septuagint;^(Etymonline) early Latin writers used vātēs, but the Christian prophēta won out, probably because of vātēs's pagan associations.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who speaks for God, an inspired preacher, one who foretells: about 1175 in the OED, the late 12th century in Etymonline,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) probably before 1200 in the Ancrene Riwle.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A prophetic writer of the Old Testament is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and an inspired poet or bard, rendering Latin vātēs, from 1387.^(OED 1989) Muhammad has been called the Prophet since the 1610s, translating Arabic al-nabiy.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The non-religious sense, an inspired spokesman for a cause or movement, is first recorded in 1848.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Prophetic'' is from before 1475.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1175 – one who speaks for God.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1387 – an inspired bard.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1475 – prophetic.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1610s – the Prophet, Muhammad.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1848 – a spokesman for a cause.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person believed to speak by divine [[inspiration]] or to reveal the will of [[God]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who predicts the future: ''a prophet of doom''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # A leading spokesman for a cause or movement.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''the Prophet'': Muhammad, the founder of Islam.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prophethood]]

+ * [[prophetless]]

+ * [[prophetlike]]

+ * [[prophetic]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prophecy]]

+ * [[prophesy]]

+ * [[fame]]

+ * [[phone]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}