Predicted

Predicted is the past participle of the verb predict. In ordinary usage it appears as a verb in perfect tenses, as in "the analysts have predicted a rise in temperatures," and as an adjective meaning "expected to occur in the future," as in "predicted outcomes."

Originating from the Latin prae-dicere, meaning "to say beforehand," the word entered English through Middle French and evolved into the form predict and its participle predicted.

In scientific and technical contexts, predicted refers to a value, probability, or label generated by a model or forecast. For example, a weather model provides the predicted rainfall, a credit model outputs a predicted default probability, and a regression model yields predicted values of a continuous target variable. Predicted quantities are typically reported with associated uncertainty, such as prediction intervals, rather than as certainties.

Predictions rely on data quality, model specification, and assumptions about the future. They are subject to errors due to sampling, measurement error, changing conditions, or structural changes in the system being modeled. Common concerns include overfitting, bias, and calibration errors. Communicating predicted results often involves distinguishing between predicted and actual values, and between point estimates and probabilistic forecasts.

See also: forecast, projection, estimate, prognosis, and predictive modeling.