Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To prophesy; foretell.
  • intransitive verb To be a prophet.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To prophesy; foretell; practise prediction.
  • To prophesy; utter prophetically or as a prophet; foretell.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • verb To prophesy; to foretell; to practice prediction; to utter prophecies.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive, intransitive to predict or foretell (future events).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb foretell through or as if through the power of prophecy
  • verb predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin vāticinārī, vāticināt-, from vātēs, seer; see vatic.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin vāticinātus, perfect passive participle of vāticinor ("foretell, prophesy").

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Examples

  • Paul, I vaticinate that the mansuetude of your response will bring out the best of my muliebrity.

    Save the language! « Write Anything 2008

  • You may see my attitude as defensive and oppugnant, but I vaticinate further derogation of our incomparable tongue should such complots be permitted to unfold without denunciation.

    Archive 2008-10-01 Angry Professor 2008

  • You may see my attitude as defensive and oppugnant, but I vaticinate further derogation of our incomparable tongue should such complots be permitted to unfold without denunciation.

    A malison on the poor of spirit. Angry Professor 2008

  • Semblably Titus Livius writeth that, in the solemnization time of the Bacchanalian holidays at Rome, both men and women seemed to prophetize and vaticinate, because of an affected kind of wagging of the head, shrugging of the shoulders, and jectigation of the whole body, which they used then most punctually.

    Five books of the lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel 2002

  • Semblably Titus Livius writeth that, in the solemnization time of the Bacchanalian holidays at Rome, both men and women seemed to prophetize and vaticinate, because of an affected kind of wagging of the head, shrugging of the shoulders, and jectigation of the whole body, which they used then most punctually.

    Five books of the lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel 2002

  • The unique appeal of the great mythological compositions of the Renaissance results ultimately from the fact that, whether they smile or vaticinate, they are shining through veils: Vela faciunt honorem secreti.

    Dictionary of the History of Ideas JEAN SEZNEC 1968

  • I am reassured, however, by the reflection that I am not expected to look into the future and vaticinate.

    A Royalist Fiasco 1934

  • By this means alone, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of our holy religion has been established in many minds; for it is not in the power of mortals thus to vaticinate future events.

    The Revelation Explained 1913

  • But Gwyneth and I are not uncomfortably provided for, and I no longer contribute paragraphs of gossip to the Pimlico Postboy, nor yet do I vaticinate in the columns of the Tipster.

    In the Wrong Paradise Andrew Lang 1878

  • No less futile were it to waste declamatory tears upon the strife of absolutism with new-fledged democracy, or to vaticinate a reign of socialistic terror for the immediate future.

    Renaissance in Italy, Volumes 1 and 2 The Catholic Reaction John Addington Symonds 1866

Comments

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  • Young prophets who'll live out the fate

    Must cautiously anticipate.

    The old and the wise 'uns

    With looming horizons

    Have freedom to boldly vaticinate.

    August 29, 2016