seer

¹ American  

[see-er, seer] / ˈsi ər, sɪər /

noun

1. a person who sees; observer.

2. a person who prophesies future events; prophet.

   Industry seers predicted higher profits.

   Synonyms:

   augur, soothsayer, oracle

3. a person endowed with profound moral and spiritual insight or knowledge; a wise person or sage who possesses intuitive powers.

4. a person who is reputed to have special powers of divination, as a crystal gazer or palmist.

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seer ² American  

[seer, sair] / sɪər, sɛər /

noun

1. ser.

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seer ¹ British  

/ sɪə /

noun

1. a person who can supposedly see into the future; prophet

2. a person who professes supernatural powers

3. a person who sees

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seer ² British  

/ sɪə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of ser

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Other Word Forms

• seeress
  noun

Etymology

Origin of seer¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at see ¹, -er ¹

Origin of seer²

First recorded in 1610–20

Explanation

A seer is someone who can see the future. Nostradamus is considered a seer because he predicted everything from the Great Fire of London to the French Revolution. Oh, and the end of the world. See the word see in seer? Seers can see into the future. Prophets, fortune tellers, and tarot card readers are seers. Seers are part of many fictional stories, especially fantasy stories that might include witches and goblins. However, this word can be used for anyone who is good at predicting things, such as a political, financial, or sports analyst. Seers are also called oracles and visionaries. As for Nostradamus, let’s hope he was wrong sometimes.

Related Words

• forecaster
• prophet
• soothsayer