prophet

UK: 'prophet', 'Prophet': /ˈprɒfɪt/ US: /ˈprɑfɪt/ ,(prof′it)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

proph•et /ˈprɑfɪt/   n. [countable]

1. a person who speaks for God or a god, or who receives inspiration from God or a god, so as to lead people, warn them about good and evil, etc.
2. a person who foretells the future.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

proph•et  (prof′it), n. 

1. a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.
2. Bible (in the Old Testament)
   • Bible a person chosen to speak for God and to guide the people of Israel:
     Moses was the greatest of Old Testament prophets.
   • Bible (often cap.) one of the Major or Minor Prophets.
   • Bible one of a band of ecstatic visionaries claiming divine inspiration and, according to popular belief, possessing magical powers.
   • Bible a person who practices divination.
3. Religion one of a class of persons in the early church, next in order after the apostles, recognized as inspired to utter special revelations and predictions. 1 Cor. 12:28.
4. Eastern Religions the Prophet, Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
5. a person regarded as, or claiming to be, an inspired teacher or leader.
6. a person who foretells or predicts what is to come:
   a weather prophet; prophets of doom.
7. a spokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement.

• Greek prophé̄tēs, equivalent. to pro- pro-² + -phētēs speaker, derivative of phánai to speak
• Late Latin prophēta
• Middle English prophete 1150–1200

proph′et•hood′, n. 
proph′et•less, adj. 
proph′et•like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

prophet / ˈprɒfɪt/ noun

1. a person who supposedly speaks by divine inspiration, esp one through whom a divinity expresses his or her will
2. a person who predicts the future: a prophet of doom
3. a spokesman for a movement, doctrine, etc

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French prophète, from Latin prophēta, from Greek prophētēs one who declares the divine will, from pro-² + phanai to speak

ˈprophetess noun:feminine

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Prophet / ˈprɒfɪt/ noun the Prophet ⇒

1. the principal designation of Muhammad as the founder of Islam
2. a name for Joseph Smith as founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church), or any of his successors as head of the Church