Vaticinate
/vəˈtɪsɪneɪt/noun
To predict or foretell something, especially in a formal or elevated way.
Did you know?Vaticinate comes from Latin *vāticinārī*, tied to *vātēs*, a word for poet, prophet, and inspired speaker — proof that in ancient Rome, poetry and prophecy were once treated as powers of the same mouth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*u̯eh₂t- / *u̯eh₂t-
“to be inspired, to speak prophetically”
Latin
Latin
vātēs
“seer, prophet, inspired poet”
Classical Latin
Latin
vāticinārī
“to prophesy, foretell”
Late Latin
Latin
vāticinātus
“having prophesied; foretold”
16th Century
English
vaticinate
“to prophesy or foretell”
Modern English
English
vaticinate
“to predict or foretell in a formal or elevated way”