Vaticination
/ˌvætɪsɪˈneɪʃən/noun
The act of predicting or foretelling the future; prophecy.
Did you know?Vaticination comes from Latin vaticinari, a verb tied to poets and seers, because in the ancient world inspired speech and prophecy were treated as dangerously close cousins.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wat-
“to inspire, be possessed, or speak in a prophetic frenzy”
Latin
Latin
vates
“a prophet, seer, or inspired poet”
Latin
Latin
vaticinari
“to prophesy, foretell, or speak as an inspired seer”
Late Latin
Latin
vaticinationem
“a prophecy or act of foretelling”
Middle English
English
vaticinacioun
“prophetic utterance or prediction”
Modern English
English
vaticination
“the act of foretelling or prophecy”
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