praedictio

Praedictio is a Latin noun meaning foretelling or prediction. It is formed from prae- “before” and dictio “speaking,” and denotes the act of speaking about what will happen in the future. The term can cover prophecies, forecasts, or the results of prognostication, whether derived from signs, revelatory insight, or rational argument.

In classical and late antique Latin, praedictio appears in discussions of omens, oracles, and prophetic utterances, as well as in rhetorical and legal contexts where foreseeing outcomes is relevant. In Christian Latin, it is used in exegesis and scholastic works to describe eschatological forecasts or predicted events within theological frameworks. The sense thus ranges from divinely inspired prophecy to secular forecasts based on reasoning about signs and probabilities.

Modern scholarship treats praedictio as a historical term for the concept of prediction in Latin sources. The word has given rise to related forms in Romance languages, such as predicción in Spanish and predizione in Italian, reflecting the same root idea of foretelling. In contrast to contemporary scientific prediction, praedictio in Latin often carries a broader rhetorical or theological dimension. See also prophecy, forecast, augury.