Meaning & use
a prophet
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person believed to receive messages from a god and tell them to others.
Grammar: Countable; you can say 'a prophet' or 'the prophets.'
Patterns
- a prophet of God
- the prophet Muhammad
- act as a prophet
In many religions, a prophet is chosen to deliver God's word.
The ancient prophet warned the people to change their ways.
She studied the lives of the major prophets in the Bible.
nouncountablefigurative
A person who predicts what will happen in the future.
Grammar: Often used figuratively; can be followed by 'of' (e.g., 'a prophet of doom').
Patterns
- a prophet of doom
- a prophet of change
He was called a prophet of doom for predicting the company's failure.
Some see her as a prophet of social change.
The economist was no prophet; his forecasts were often wrong.
Word forms
| plural | prophets |
|---|
Common combinations
- a prophet of God
- Moses is considered a prophet of God in several faiths.
- the prophet Muhammad
- The prophet Muhammad is central to Islam.
- a false prophet
- The group was led by a false prophet who tricked his followers.
- a prophet of doom
- Don't be such a prophet of doom; things might improve.
Synonyms and how they differ
- seer
- A seer predicts the future but does not necessarily claim messages from a god; 'prophet' often has a religious meaning.
- foreteller
- A rare word for someone who predicts events; 'prophet' is more common and usually religious.
Word family
Commonly confused: a prophet or profit?
a prophet vs profit
'Profit' means money gained in business; 'prophet' means a religious messenger or predictor. They sound alike but are spelled differently.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'prophet' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A prophet is a person who delivers messages from a god. The other options confuse 'prophet' with 'profit,' which means money gained.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a prophet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.