Word: prescient (adjective)

Associations

The word "prescient" means having knowledge of events before they happen; being able to predict the future.

• A prescient person might make predictions that later prove correct. For example: "The prescient investor bought stocks before the market rose."
• It is often used to describe someone’s insight or foresight. For example: "Her prescient advice saved the company from a big loss."
• It can describe feelings or actions based on future knowledge. For example: "His prescient warning about the storm helped everyone prepare."

Synonym: "predictive" is similar but "prescient" often implies a special or almost intuitive knowledge, not just logical prediction.

Substitution

Other words you can use instead of "prescient":

• "foresighted" – focuses on planning ahead but less about knowing the future exactly.
• "prophetic" – suggests a strong, sometimes mystical prediction.
• "clairvoyant" – implies supernatural ability to see the future. Using these changes the tone or meaning slightly. "Prescient" is more about sharp insight.

Deconstruction

"Prescient" comes from Latin:

• Prefix "pre-" means "before."
• Root "sci" means "to know" (as in science).
• Suffix "-ent" means "having the quality of." So "prescient" literally means "having the quality of knowing before."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time you guessed what might happen before it did? Was that prescient?
• How would you describe a prescient decision in your life or in a story you know?
• Do you think being prescient is always good? Why or why not?