Soothsay
/ˈsuːθˌseɪ/noun
To predict or foretell, especially in a prophetic or mystical way.
Did you know?Sooth originally meant “truth” in Old English, so a soothsayer was, at root, a person who “said truth” — a reminder that early prophecy was framed as revelation, not performance.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
sōþ
“truth; what is real or genuine”
Old English
OE
sēgan
“to say, tell, declare”
Middle English
ME
soothsayen
“to tell the truth; to foretell”
14th Century
English
soothsayer
“a person who predicts events or claims prophetic insight”
Modern English
English
soothsay
“to predict or foretell, especially in a mystical or prophetic way”