Foretell
/fɔːrˈtɛl/noun
To predict or announce an event before it occurs.
Did you know?The roots of 'foretell' connect to ancient practices of divination, where seers would interpret omens to predict the future, tapping into mystical forces.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
Old English
forhtēl
“To announce or declare beforehand, often with a sense of prophecy.”
Middle English
Middle English
fortellen
“To declare or prophesy, often related to magical or supernatural foresight.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
for-þella
“To tell or recount, with a connotation of revealing hidden knowledge.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
furðōną
“To make known or reveal, connected to the act of speaking out or declaring.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tel-
“To tell, recount, or relate, forming the basis of narrative and prophecy.”