To prophesy means to predict what will happen in the future, especially when claiming special knowledge or insight from a divine source. In ancient times, prophets would prophesy about future events, wars, or the fate of kingdoms. The biblical prophet Isaiah prophesied about events that he believed God had revealed to him.

The word comes from religious traditions where prophets served as messengers, speaking words they believed came from God. When someone prophesies, they claim to know the future through spiritual revelation or divine inspiration, asserting a connection to divine knowledge that goes beyond ordinary prediction or analysis.

Today, people sometimes use prophesy more loosely to describe any confident prediction. A coach might say “I prophesy that this team will win the championship,” though they're really just expressing strong belief rather than claiming divine knowledge. You might hear someone joke, “I prophesy that it's going to rain on field day,” when dark clouds gather.

The word is pronounced “PROF-uh-sigh.” Don't confuse prophesy (the verb, meaning to predict) with prophecy (the noun, meaning the prediction itself). A prophet makes a prophecy when they prophesy about future events.