What does soothsay mean?
Soothsay is an archaic English verb meaning to predict or foretell what will happen, especially a future event. It is typically used in elevated, literary, or deliberately old-fashioned contexts. The word carries a slightly mysterious or prophetic association, but its basic meaning is simply to make a prediction, not necessarily to make a correct one. A person who predicts the future is more usually called a soothsayer, while soothsay names the act of prediction itself. The expression is uncommon in modern speech, so it is most likely to appear in historical narration, fantasy and folklore, archaic dialogue, or discussion of an uncertainty that no one can resolve. Although rare in contemporary usage, it preserves an older vocabulary of prophecy and truth-telling. Its compound formation also makes it memorable: sooth once meant “truth,” while say referred to utterance.
verbTo say beforehand what will happen; to predict or foretell.
- To predict or foretell future events.
- To make a statement about what is to happen, especially in an archaic or prophetic register.
"No one can soothsay which candidate will win the election."
"No one can soothsay which candidate will win the election."
"The old astrologer claimed that the stars could soothsay the prince's future."
Soothsay packs an old truth into one verb: “sooth” meant truth, and “say” meant speak.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does soothsay come from?
Soothsay is an English compound of sooth, meaning “truth” or “true,” and say. The first element continues Old English sōþ, while the second continues Old English secgan; the compound appears in the late sixteenth century. The say element belongs to the same Germanic family as German sagen and Dutch zeggen. Related English forms such as soothly, soothfast, and soothless retain sooth as their base.
Related word forms
How soothsay is actually used
Chiefly literary, archaic, or deliberately archaic. The verb sounds elevated and mysterious and is uncommon in ordinary contemporary speech.
Easily confused with soothsay
Soothsay is the verb meaning to predict or foretell, whereas a soothsayer is a person who predicts the future or interprets omens.