prophet
religious messenger who speaks for God
A holy person who hears messages from God and tells other people what God says.
[someone] is (a) prophet; (a) prophet of [religion/place]
- Many believers see Moses as a prophet chosen by God.
- The painting shows a prophet standing alone in the desert.
- According to the story, the prophet warned the king to change his ways.
- Several major religions honor Abraham as an important prophet.
- As a young man, he believed he was called to be a prophet to his people.
- Muhammad is a very important prophet in Islam.
- The prophet told the people to follow God's law.
- In the story, a prophet comes to the city and speaks to the king.
- Children read about many prophets in their holy book.
- They believe that a prophet brings messages from God.
person who predicts the future
A person who says what will happen in the future, often warning about bad things.
[someone] is (a) prophet of [something]; [someone] is no prophet
- Commentators once laughed at her as a prophet of doom, but many of her warnings later came true.
- Tech leaders like to present themselves as prophets of a new digital age.
- He turned out to be a surprisingly accurate prophet of political change.
- I am no prophet, but I think this trend will continue for years.
- Environmental prophets have been warning about climate change for decades.
- Some people called him a prophet of doom after his dark speech.
- She was a prophet of change in the company.
- I am not a prophet, but I think prices will go up.
- He spoke like a prophet, telling us what the world would be like in 2050.
- Many so-called prophets on TV say they know the future.
founder or central messenger of a religion
The main religious leader who started a religion and is seen as a special messenger of God, often called "the Prophet."
the Prophet [name]; the Prophet [capitalized] in [religion]
- Muslims show deep respect when they speak about the Prophet Muhammad.
- Many biographies have been written about the life of the Prophet.
- In this tradition, the Prophet is seen as the final messenger of God.
- The sayings of the Prophet play a central role in Islamic law.
- Scholars debated how best to teach children about the Prophet.
- The Prophet Muhammad is very important in Islam.
- They read stories about the Prophet in class.
- For many people, the Prophet is a perfect example of good behavior.
- The book tells the history of the Prophet's life.
- People in this religion follow the teachings of the Prophet.
visionary whose ideas prove correct
A person who talks early about big changes in society or art, and later people see that this person was right.
(a) prophet of [movement/change]
- Some critics call her a prophet of modern feminism.
- The filmmaker became a prophet of independent cinema in the 1990s.
- He is remembered as a prophet of nonviolent protest.
- Decades later, people saw him as a prophet of the digital revolution.
- The writer was a lonely prophet of environmental reform in his time.
- She is a prophet of modern art in her country.
- Many people now see him as a prophet of the green movement.
- The scientist became a prophet of new energy technology.
- Later, people called the singer a prophet of jazz.
- He was a prophet of change in the city.
- Base: prophet
- Plural: prophets
a prophet is not without honor except in his own country
5talented person unrecognized at home
A saying that means people often do not respect or value a talented person in their own family, town, or country, but people in other places do.
- He became a famous writer overseas, but at home no one read his books; a prophet is not without honor except in his own country.
- They joked that, as usual, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country when her work was praised abroad but ignored locally.
false prophet
1deceptive or mistaken religious messenger
A person who says they speak for God or know the future, but is believed to be wrong or lying.
- The preacher warned his followers not to trust false prophets.
- History is full of false prophets who predicted the end of the world.
the Prophet
2title for the Prophet Muhammad
A title used by Muslims to refer to the Prophet Muhammad.
- Muslims show great respect when they mention the Prophet.
- The teacher told stories from the life of the Prophet.
prophet of doom
3person who always predicts disaster
Someone who often says that very bad things will happen in the future.
- I don't want to be a prophet of doom, but the numbers look terrible.
- The media were called prophets of doom for their constant negative stories.
- He's known as a prophet of doom in the office because he always expects the worst.
prophet of doom
4person who always predicts disaster
A person who often says that very bad things will happen in the future.
- I don't want to be a prophet of doom, but the company could collapse if sales keep falling.
- The media called her a prophet of doom for warning about the housing bubble.