prediction
Americannoun
-
an act of predicting.
-
an instance of this; prophecy.
- Synonyms:
- projection, divination, prognostication, augury, forecast
noun
-
the act of predicting
-
something predicted; a forecast, prophecy, etc
Usage
What does prediction mean? A prediction is a statement about what someone thinks will happen in the future. People make predictions all the time. Some are very serious and are based on scientific calculations, but many are just guesses. Example: Here’s a prediction: in 20 years, we’ll all drive less and eat a lot less meat.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prediction
First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin praedictiōn-, stem of praedictiō “prophecy”; equivalent to predict + -ion
Explanation
I have a prediction: You’ll know what this word means by the time you finish reading this explanation. A prediction is what someone thinks will happen. A prediction is a forecast, but not only about the weather. Pre means “before” and diction has to do with talking. So a prediction is a statement about the future. It’s a guess, sometimes based on facts or evidence, but not always. A fortune teller makes a prediction using a crystal ball. A meteorologist uses maps and scientific data to tell us about the possibility of rain, snow or sunshine. And when I made the prediction that you would understand what this word meant, it was based on instinct, a gut feeling telling me what would happen next.
Vocabulary lists containing prediction
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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The Scientific Method
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List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees prediction markets, has previously brought enforcement actions against companies that use simulated trades to market their products and make unrealistic claims about profitability.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
Online prediction market users have bet approximately $2.7 billion on the World Cup winner, with the U.S. given a 2% chance.
From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026
In December, he told The Wall Street Journal that prediction markets were “not high on our list at the moment.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
At the same time, Burkhard stresses that the findings should not be interpreted as a prediction.
From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026
And then, after watching Dimitri eat both of their fortune cookies without reading either prediction, she had made her error: she had asked him to be her date to her senior prom.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
