soothsayer

[ sooth-sey-er ]

noun

1. a person who professes to foretell events.

soothsayer

/ ˈsuːθˌseɪə /

noun

1. a seer or prophet

Word History and Origins

Origin of soothsayer¹

First recorded in 1300–50, soothsayer is from the Middle English word sothseyere, sothseyer. See sooth, say ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Political soothsayers might be tempted to study the results of Britain’s July 4 general election for clues about how the United States might vote on Nov. 5.

From New York Times

But, the "You Must Remember This" host, who has guided listeners through Hollywood's first century for over eight years, is more than just a soothsayer of cinema's history.

From Salon

My grandmother looked down and began to vigorously massage her knees, like a soothsayer rubs a crystal ball.

From New York Times

Of course, given our experiences with Cecilia, I wasn’t sure I could believe everything Teresita had to say, so I kept my ears and eyes open for suspicious behavior from the old soothsayer.

From Literature

Over budget and behind schedule, “Titanic” was doomed to fail, so said Hollywood soothsayers.

From Los Angeles Times