Etymology: In Old English < classical Latin prophēta (see below); subsequently reinforced by Anglo-Norman prophete, profet, profite and Old French profete, profite, Old French, Middle French prophete (French prophète , †prophete ) divinely inspired person who speaks in the name of God (end of the 10th cent. in Old French), person who predicts future events (c1100 with reference to a person of high standing, early 15th cent. with reference to any person), (in plural) the books of the Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures containing prophetic writings (early 13th cent.) < classical Latin prophēta (in post-classical Latin also prophetes , Vetus Latina) spokesman or interpreter of a god, in post-classical Latin also revealer of God's will, inspired preacher and teacher, foreteller of future events (Vetus Latina, Vulgate), one of the prophetical books of the Old Testament (Vetus Latina: see also note below), one of the Old Testament lessons at Mass (6th cent.) < ancient Greek προϕήτης interpreter, proclaimer, expounder, especially of the will of the deity, in Hellenistic Greek also revealer of God's will (Septuagint), inspired preacher and teacher, foreteller of future events (New Testament) < προ- pro- prefix² + -ϕήτης speaker (only attested in compounds) < ϕάναι to speak (see phatic adj.) + -της, suffix forming agent nouns. Compare Old Occitan profeta, (12th cent.; also propheta; Occitan profeta), Catalan profeta (c1200 as feminine noun denoting a prophetess, late 13th cent. as masculine noun; also †propheta), Spanish profetac1200; also †propheta), Portuguese profeta, †propheta (both 13th cent.), Italian profeta (late 12th cent. or earlier; also †propheta). Compare also Old Frisian prophēta (West Frisian profeet), Middle Dutch profēte, prophēte (Dutch profeet), Middle Low German profēte, prophēte, Middle High German prophēt, prophēte (German Prophet), Old Swedish prophete (Swedish profet), Old Danish prophetæ, propheta (Danish profet, †prophet), Gothic praufetes, praufetus.Ancient Greek προϕήτης was originally the spokesman or interpreter of a divinity, e.g. of Zeus, Dionysus, Apollo, or the deliverer or interpreter of an oracle, corresponding generally to classical Latin vātēs (see vates n.). By the Septuagint (Hellenistic Greek) it was adopted to render Hebrew nāḇī' nabi n. (on which see note at sense 2a), in the Old Testament applied indiscriminately to the prophets of God, of Baal and other heathen deities, and even to ‘false prophets’, reputed or pretended soothsayers. In the New Testament it is used in the same senses as in the Septuagint, but mainly applied to the Hebrew prophets of God, also to John the Baptist, as well as to certain persons in the Early Church, who were recognized as possessing more or less of the character of the old Hebrew prophets, or as inspired to utter special revelations and predictions; also applied historically to Balaam, and by St Paul to Epimenides the Cretan, seer, philosopher, and poet, while ‘false prophets’ are frequently mentioned. The Greek word was adopted in Latin as prophēta chiefly in post-classical times, and largely under Christian influences; and this is the regular rendering in the Vetus Latina, Vulgate, and Christian Fathers. The Latin word has in turn passed down into the Romance and Germanic languages. In English the earliest uses are derived from the Scriptures; but the word is currently used in all the ancient senses and in modern ones derived from them. With sense 2a compare Hebrew hannĕḇī'īm . With Former Prophets (see sense 2a) compare Hebrew hannĕḇī'īm ha-ri'šōnīm (Zechariah 1:4, 7:7, 7:12); with Latter Prophets (see sense 2a) compare post-biblical Hebrew hannĕḇī'īm hā'aḥărōnīm ). With Major Prophets , Minor Prophets (see sense 2a) compare post-classical Latin prophetae maiores , prophetae minores (5th cent. in Augustine). In the Law and the Prophets (see sense 2a) after post-classical Latin lex et prophetae (Vetus Latina), itself after Hellenistic Greek ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προϕῆται (New Testament). In Moses and the Prophets (see sense 2a) after post-classical Latin Moses et prophetae (Vetus Latina), itself after Hellenistic Greek Μωϋσῆς καὶ οἱ προϕῆται (New Testament). In sense 2b as a rendering of Arabic al-nabīy nabi n., often used by writers on Islam. (Sometimes put for another Arabic title, al-rasūl the messenger, especially in the formula ‘There is no god but God (Allah ); Muhammad is the messenger of God’, frequently translated as ‘Muhammad is his prophet’.) This sense is apparently not paralleled in French until considerably later (1557 in Middle French). In sense 1c after classical Latin vātēs (see vates n.) or poēta poet n. In sense 4 after post-classical Latin propheta (6th cent. in this sense: see above). With prophet of doom at sense 5c compare French prophète de malheur in same sense (1668). The usual word in Old English is wītega witie n. (compare quot. lOE at sense 1a). With forms in pre- compare discussion at pro- prefix².

Etymology: Originally < Anglo-Norman and Middle French propheter (in Anglo-Norman also prophetir) to prophesy (13th cent. in Old French, used transitively and intransitively; in Middle French apparently only used intransitively) or its etymon post-classical Latin prophetare to prophesy (Vetus Latina, Vulgate) < classical Latin prophēta prophet n. In later use probably independently re-formed < prophet n. Compare Catalan profetar (12th cent.), Spanish profetar , †prophetar (both second half of the 13th cent. or earlier), Italian profetare (first half of the 13th cent. or earlier). Compare also Middle Dutch prophetēren (Dutch profeteeren ), Middle Low German profētēren , profētīren , Middle High German prophētieren , prophēzieren (German †prophezieren ), Old Swedish prophetera (Swedish profetera , †prophetera ; < Middle Low German), and Old Swedish propheta (in an apparently isolated attestation), Gothic praufetjan . Compare earlier prophesy v., prophetize v.