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to prognosticate

to prognosticate

3 9.3
To say what will happen in the future using clues
  • verb
  • /prɒɡˈnɒstɪkeɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : pronosticar
  • When called upon to predict the reaction to a detection, sociologists and other prognosticating pundits turn to historical analogs.

So do you ever prognosticate or do a crystal ball or a model scenario?

Examples

  • The astronomical clock served not only to regularly imitate the natural motion of the sun and the heavens but also to prognosticate state affairs.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Governor Bobby Jindal recently engaged in the long political tradition of prognosticating the fate of a home state professional sporting team.

    Blog text (12)
  • So do you ever prognosticate or do a crystal ball or a model scenario?

  • And I'm, you know, not in the habit of prognosticating about politics.

  • But that does not stop the average journalist from prognosticating about the possibilities.

    Blog text (4)
  • An important desired benefit of assigning a diagnosis is being able to accurately prognosticate about its likely future course.

    Academic text (2010)
  • In the opening scene of the play, the king of Crete asks the Delphic oracle to prognosticate regarding peace in his kingdom.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Political analysts often prognosticate about election outcomes based on current trends.

  • Scientists use data from previous studies to prognosticate the effects of climate change.

  • Many people try to prognosticate the future of technology by examining past innovations.

Synonyms

to predict
vsto prognosticate
812 3.0

To say what will happen in the future

relies especially on interpreting signs or physical evidence
to anticipate
vsto prognosticate
109 3.2

To expect that something will happen

uses observable signs and material evidence rather than mere expectation
to foresee
vsto prognosticate
77 3.9

To know or expect something before it happens

depends more on concrete signs and observable evidence
to forecast
vsto prognosticate
54 2.5

To say what will probably happen using information, for example about weather or business

is more about interpreting visible signs and concrete evidence
to foretell
vsto prognosticate
41 7.0

To say what will happen in the future

is about interpreting ordinary signs or physical evidence
to foreshadow
vsto prognosticate
16 6.2

To give a small sign that something will happen in the future

is used when someone reads signs and declares a future event
to bode
vsto prognosticate
16 7.2

To be a sign that something good or bad will happen

is more actively about interpreting such omens as evidence
to portend
vsto prognosticate
  • Formal
13 8.4

To show that something, often bad, will probably happen

is used for predicting from ordinary signs and observable evidence
to presage
vsto prognosticate
  • Literature
5 8.8

To show that something bad will happen

involves drawing a stated future from such signs and evidence
to augur
vsto prognosticate
4 8.6

To be a sign that something will happen

focuses on interpreting normal signs and material evidence
to prefigure
vsto prognosticate
  • Literature
1 8.0

To be a sign that something will happen later

is about using signs or proof to state a future outcome
to betoken
vsto prognosticate
  • Archaic
1 9.3

To be a sign of something

is the process of using those signs to state a future outcome
to previse
vsto prognosticate
  • Archaic
9.9

To know something before it happens

leans on visible signs and material evidence for conclusions
to foreshow
vsto prognosticate
  • Archaic
9.9

Predict an event from a sign or dream

instead relies on ordinary signs and empirical evidence
to auspicate
vsto prognosticate
  • Archaic
9.9

To say what will happen by reading signs

places more weight on everyday signs and physical evidence
to forebode
vsto prognosticate
8.4

To seem to show that something bad will happen

is more general, predicting from observable signs or evidence

How Certain

to forecast
54 2.5
to prognosticate
  • Formal
3 9.3
to predict
812 3.0
to speculate
254 4.8
to guess
1.0

Surface Forms

prognosticate infinitive
prognosticated past participle
prognosticating present participle
prognosticates third person singular

Morphology

prognosticate = prognostic (semi-transparent) = prognostic + ate

Formed by regular adjective-to-verb suffixation (prognostic + -ate), but the base 'prognostic' and its elements are not common productive morphemes for B1 learners, so full meaning may not be immediately obvious.

Etymology

Prognosticate comes from the parts pro- 'before' and a part related to knowledge 'to know', so it literally means 'to know before'. That's why to prognosticate is to predict or foretell a future event.