A seer is someone believed to have the ability to see into the future or perceive things that are hidden from ordinary people. In ancient times and in many fantasy stories, seers were consulted before important decisions: would the harvest be good? Would the battle be won? A king might visit a seer before going to war, hoping to learn what fate had in store.

The word comes from the simple act of seeing, but seers claim to see beyond what's visible in the present moment. In Greek mythology, the blind prophet Tiresias was a famous seer who could perceive the future despite his inability to see the physical world. In The Lord of the Rings, Galadriel acts as a kind of seer when she shows Frodo visions in her mirror.

Today, people sometimes call someone a seer if they seem unusually good at predicting what will happen, even without magical powers. A scientist who correctly predicts how technology will change might be called a seer of the digital age. But the word usually appears in historical or fantasy contexts, describing people who claimed mystical vision rather than just good judgment or careful observation.