praedicta

Praedicta is a Latin term formed as the neuter plural form of the perfect passive participle of the verb praedico, meaning to foretell. When used as a substantive, praedicta roughly translates as “the foretold things” and is often taken to mean prophecies, predictions, or foreseen events.

In Latin grammar and philology, praedicta typically functions as a noun phrase rather than a verb. The form is commonly treated as a neuter plural substantive, used to designate a body of prophecies or foretold matters within a text. Depending on manuscript conventions, it may appear in headings or embedded within prose to indicate sections dealing with prediction or prophecy.

Historically, praedicta occurs in medieval and early modern Latin writings that discuss prophecy, interpretation, or chronology. It can surface in glosses, treatises on sacred history, and biblical commentaries where authors summarize or reference anticipated events.

In modern scholarly contexts, praedicta is primarily of linguistic and textual interest. It is cited mainly as an example of Latin participial nouns and as a lens into how foretelling and prediction were labeled in Latin literature. It is less common as a technical term in English outside discussions of Latin grammar or the study of prophetic texts.

Etymology and related forms: praedicta derives from praedico, with the perfect passive participle praedictus for masculine, praedicta for feminine or neuter plural, and praedictum for neuter singular. Related English terms include prediction and predicted, while Latin relatives appear as praedictus and praedictio in various texts.