Etymology Map
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Prophet

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a person who predicts the future

Where does the word "prophet" come from? It comes from Greek prophētēs, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
prophētēs
Greek · ancient
"spokesman of a god"
Greek, 'pro-', before, plus 'phanai', to speak
2
Stage 2 of 3
prophete
Old French · medieval
"prophet"
came via Latin 'propheta'
3
Stage 3 of 3
prophet
English · 1200s
"prophet"
'prophet of doom' dates from the 1900s
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Read the full story

Prophet’s story begins in Greek: prophētēs meant “spokesman of a god.” Greek, 'pro-', before, plus 'phanai', to speak. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as prophete. Came via Latin 'propheta'. It reached English by 1200s as prophet. 'prophet of doom' dates from the 1900s. Today, prophet means a person who predicts the future.