Meaning & use
precognition
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The supposed ability to know about future events before they happen, especially by paranormal means.
Grammar: Uncountable; used with singular verbs, not with 'a' or plural forms.
Patterns
- have precognition
- precognition of something
- through precognition
Some people claim to have precognition, but there is no scientific evidence for it.
The story is about a woman whose precognition allows her to prevent disasters.
Belief in precognition is common in many cultures, though it remains unproven.
noununcountablespecialist
In parapsychology, the direct knowledge of a future event without any normal sensory information.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used in technical or academic discussions of the paranormal.
Patterns
- study precognition
- research into precognition
Researchers in parapsychology have tried to test precognition under controlled conditions.
The concept of precognition is often explored in science fiction.
Common combinations
- claims of precognition
- Claims of precognition are often dismissed by skeptics.
- a flash of precognition
- She had a sudden flash of precognition and knew what would happen next.
- believe in precognition
- Some people believe in precognition despite the lack of evidence.
- precognition experiment
- The precognition experiment yielded results no better than chance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- foresight
- Refers to the ability to predict what will happen, but usually based on reasoning, not the paranormal.
- clairvoyance
- The supposed ability to see distant or hidden things, not necessarily future events; 'precognition' specifically refers to future knowledge.
- prophecy
- A prediction often inspired by divine guidance, while 'precognition' is a direct knowing without a divine source.
Word family
- precognitive adjective
- Relating to or involving precognition.
- precognizant adjective
- Having knowledge of something before it happens (rare).
Commonly confused: precognition or preconception?
precognition vs preconception
An idea formed before having enough information; not related to knowing the future.
Practice
What does 'precognition' refer to?
Choose one answer.
'Precognition' is the supposed ability to know about future events before they happen. Option B is 'preconception', option C is 'retrocognition' (knowledge of the past), and option D is unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “precognition”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.