soothsayer

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sooth·say·er

(so͞oth′sā′ər)

One who claims to be able to foretell events or predict the future; a seer.

Word History: The truth is not always soothing, but our verb soothe is related to soothsayer, the word for one who tells the truth, especially beforehand. The archaic adjective and noun sooth, "true, truth," comes from the Old English adjective and noun sōth with the same meanings. The Old English form derives from Germanic *santh-az, "true," which comes from Indo-European *sont-, one of the participles from the Indo-European root -es-, "to be": the truth is that which is. Old English also formed a verb from sōth, namely sōthian, "to confirm to be true." This is the ancestor of soothe; its meaning changed from "to concur to be true, say 'yes' to" to "humor by concurring, placate." Doing the latter on occasion requires something less than the truth.

soothsayer

(ˈsuːθˌseɪə)

(Alternative Belief Systems) a seer or prophet

sooth•say•er

(ˈsuθˌseɪ ər)

n.

a person who foretells events.

[1300–50]

sooth, soothsayer, soothe - Sooth, "true, truth," or "that which is," is part of soothsayer; it is related to soothe, which once meant "assent to be true; say yes to," or "to prove or show a fact to be true."

soothsayer

noun prophet, diviner, oracle, fortune-teller, forecaster, Cassandra, seer, clairvoyant, augur, sibyl, prognosticator, prophesier You don't have to be a soothsayer to predict his likely tactics.

soothsayer

noun

A person who foretells future events by or as if by supernatural means:

augur, auspex, diviner, foreteller, haruspex, prophesier, prophet, prophetess, seer, sibyl, vaticinator.

Translations

chiromante indovino

soothsayer

[ˈsuːθˌseɪəʳ] N → adivino/a m/f

soothsayer

n (old) → Wahrsager(in) m(f)

References in classic literature ?

Thus did Zarathustra hear a soothsayer speak; and the foreboding touched his heart and transformed him.

The soothsayer, however, shall eat and drink at my side: and verily, I will yet show him a sea in which he can drown himself

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Philip of Macedon dreamed, he sealed up bis wife's belly; whereby he did expound it, that his wife should be barren; but Aristander the soothsayer, told him his wife was with child, because men do not use to seal vessels, that are empty.

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And Dominic Cervoni takes his place in my memory by the side of the legendary wanderer on the sea of marvels and terrors, by the side of the fatal and impious adventurer, to whom the evoked shade of the soothsayer predicted a journey inland with an oar on his shoulder, till he met men who had never set eyes on ships and oars.

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The peasant answered: 'I have a soothsayer inside it.

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My mother does indeed sometimes send for a soothsayer and question him, but I give his prophecyings no heed.

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The sea was dark blue, covered with ships full of white sails; and in the barn old women, maidens, and children were sitting picking hops into a large cask; the young sang songs, but the old told fairy tales of mountain-sprites and soothsayers.

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Lo, I have seen many wonderful soothsayers and prophets and magicians in my life days, but none be- fore that could sit idle and see to the heart of things with never an incantation to help.

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But if everything is fine why did soothsayer Arsene Wenger warn last week that English football clubs are losing their soul?

RESULT!: Flying Gunners put Alish in wonderland; IN ASSOCIATION WITH betfair.com

Sir, - What a marvellous soothsayer your Marjorie Orr is.

Reader's letter: Orr inspired over horoscopes

He hacked along, jumping well, and he stayed on best up the hill after jumping the last with Soothsayer and Bula.

My Ideal Gold Cup rides: Course experience can prove major advantage for reigning champion

Take Niklas McCormick, a modern-day soothsayer who favoured tight-fitting racing cyclist's shorts and top.