3 syllables: Pro, phe, sy. Stress on Pro.
PROH-fuh-see
/ˈpɹoʊfəsi/
Prophesy is pronounced PROH-fuh-see (/ˈpɹoʊfəsi/). It has three syllables (Pro-phe-sy), with the stress on "Pro". Prophesy is a verb meaning to predict or foretell future events; in its noun form, it denotes the act of foretelling or a prediction itself. In usage, it often appears in legal, religious, or literary contexts to describe a claim of prophecy rather than evidence-based forecast. Pronounced with two syllables and a primary stress on the first, it emphasizes the foretelling aspect of speech or writing.
nounProphesy is a verb meaning to predict or foretell future events; in its noun form, it denotes the act of foretelling or a prediction itself. In usage, it often appears in legal, religious, or literary contexts to describe a claim of prophecy rather than evidence-based forecast. Pronounced with two syllables and a primary stress on the first, it emphasizes the foretelling aspect of speech or writing.
"The old oracle would prophesy in cryptic verses about the king's fate."
"She can prophesy the outcome of the market to a surprising accuracy."
"The prophet's prophesy warned of impending drought and famine."
pronounce as pro-PHE-si? Actually it’s two syllables for the verb: pro- phe- sy? Careful: The word is commonly pronounced as /ˈprɒfɪˌsaɪ/ (US/UK/AU). Primary stress on the first syllable: PROH-fuh-sy? No: /ˈprɒf.ɪ.saɪ/. The second syllable has a light /ɪ/ then final /saɪ/. The mouth starts with /pr/ with lips rounded, then /ɒ/ as in ‘cot’, then /f/ as in ‘fine’, then /ɪ/ as in ‘kit’, and ends with /saɪ/ where the tongue moves to a high front position for /aɪ/. Audio reference: try Cambridge or Forvo.”,
Common errors: 1) Pronouncing it as pro-FE-sigh with secondary stress on the second syllable; correct is PRO-fə-sigh with primary stress on the first. 2) Slurring the /f/ into /ph/ or misarticulating /ɒ/ as /ɑː/. 3) Ending with a hard /i/ instead of /aɪ/. Correction: rehearse /ˈprɒf.ɪ.saɪ/ with clear onset /pr/ cluster, short /ɒ/ (not open back wide), and a final diphthong /aɪ/. Practice minimal pairs to fix: /prɒn/ vs /prɔf/.
In US/UK/AU, the pronunciation is largely /ˈprɒf.ɪ.saɪ/ with rhoticity optional. The main variation is vowel quality: Americans may have slightly tensed /ɒ/ closer to /ɑ/ in some dialects; UK accents often have a crisper /ɒ/ and more rounded /ɪ/; Australian tends toward a broader /ɒ/ and a flatter /ɪ/ with less vowel reduction. The final /saɪ/ typically remains a fronting diphthong. Stress remains on the first syllable in all. IPA guidance aligns with /ˈprɒf.ɪ.saɪ/ across major varieties.
Difficulties arise from the short first vowel /ɒ/ combined with a later crisp /saɪ/ diphthong; the /f/ cluster can blur with /v/ or /v/ mispronunciations; and the devoiced or reduced middle /ɪ/ may be misarticulated as a schwa. Practicing the two-syllable tempo and clear separation between /f/ and /ɪ/ helps. Focus on the two consecutive consonants /pr/ and /f/ followed by the diphthong /aɪ/.
A key nuance is that ‘prophesy’ is the verb form; its noun is ‘prophecy’. This difference affects pronunciation and stress distribution in sentences. Use ‘prophesy’ with two syllables and a strong initial stress: PRO-fəs-ee? No: /ˈprɒf.ɪ.saɪ/. The noun ‘prophecy’ is /ˈprɒf.ə.si/ with the stress on the first syllable and a reduced middle vowel. Remember to maintain the /ɪ/ before /saɪ/ in the verb and not convert to /siː/.
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Prophesy comes from the Old French prophésier, from Late Latin prophetizare, from Latin prophet-, propheta ‘prophet’ + -are. The root is Greek prophētēs (προφήτης) meaning ‘one who speaks forth.’ In English, the verb form prophesy emerged in the 16th century, originally spelling variations included prophesy and prophesize; the noun form prophecy appears in the medieval period, derived from Greek via Latin and Old French. The sense evolved from the act of speaking as a prophet to predicting future events by divine inspiration; while prophecy was associated with religious revelation, later usage broadened to general prediction. First known uses appear in Middle English translations of Biblical texts and Latin scholastic works, later crystallizing into distinct noun and verb forms. In modern usage, prophesy is common in narrative or archaic register, whereas ‘prophesy’ is sometimes felt older or more formal than ‘prophesize.’
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