What does prophetess mean?
A prophetess is a woman who speaks, or is believed to speak, with divine authority, often by foretelling the future or by delivering messages from a god. The word is common in religious and historical writing, where it names figures such as Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Hebrew Bible, or women who served as mouthpieces of deities in the ancient world. In a looser, figurative sense, it can describe a woman who champions a new idea or warns of coming change, sometimes with admiration and sometimes with a hint of irony. Because it is formed from 'prophet' with a feminine suffix, it is gendered, and many contemporary writers now choose 'prophet' for women and men alike. Even so, 'prophetess' remains useful when a text wants to stress the sex of the speaker or to evoke an older, biblical, or classical setting. It carries a solemn, slightly archaic tone, so it suits history, scripture, fantasy, and literary prose better than casual conversation.
nounA woman who prophesies, especially one regarded as divinely inspired to speak for a god or foretell future events. It is also used of a woman who is the leading advocate of a new belief or movement.
- A woman who speaks or foretells by divine inspiration, as in religious and ancient traditions.
- A woman who is the chief spokesperson or champion of a new doctrine, cause, or movement.
"The villagers climbed the mountain each spring to hear the prophetess speak of the harvests to come."
"In the Hebrew Bible, Deborah is described as a prophetess who judged Israel."
"Critics called her the prophetess of the new economy, though few had believed her early warnings."
Regular plural formed by adding -es.
"Several prophetesses are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, including Miriam and Deborah."
The word is built by adding a feminine ending to 'prophet', a Greek term meaning 'one who speaks for' a god, not necessarily one who predicts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prophetess come from?
Prophetess is formed in English from 'prophet' plus the feminine suffix '-ess'. It appeared in Middle English, borrowed from Old French 'prophetesse'. 'Prophet' comes through Latin 'propheta' from Greek 'prophētēs', meaning 'one who speaks for another', from 'pro' (before, forth) and 'phanai' (to speak). That Greek root is shared with words such as 'euphemism', and is related to Latin 'fari' (to speak), the source of 'fame' and 'fable'.
Related word forms
How prophetess is actually used
The term is formal, literary, and mostly religious or historical. Many modern writers prefer the gender-neutral 'prophet' for women as well, and 'prophetess' can now sound dated. In figurative use it can be admiring or faintly ironic, depending on context.
Easily confused with prophetess
A profiteer is someone who makes excessive profit, often by exploiting scarcity, whereas a prophetess is a woman who foretells or speaks for a deity.
Prophecy is the noun for the prediction or inspired utterance itself, while a prophetess is the woman who delivers it.