precognition
/ˌpɹikɑɡˈnɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.12 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Knowledge of the future; understanding of something in advance, especially as a form of supernatural or extrasensory perception.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "‘But it seems there are some strong presumptuous proofs against you, and I came to warn you this day that a precognition is in progress, and that unless you are perfectly convinced, not only of your innocence, but of your ability to prove it, it will be the safest course for you to abscond, and let the trial go on without you.’"
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French precognition or its source, Latin praecognitio, from praecognōscō (“to know beforehand”). Doublet of Germanic-based foreknowledge and Greek-based prognosis. Equivalent to pre- + cognition.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: precognition, praecognitio
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌpɹikɑɡˈnɪʃən/
- British English: /ˌpɹiːkɒɡˈnɪʃn̩/