Prophetships

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The office, role or calling of a prophet ; the standing, authority or position held by those who speak for a divine source
2. The duties and position belonging to a person who foretells or proclaims divine messages ; the rank and influence attached to such prophetic roles
3. The function of a prophet in a religious community ; the authority and status that accompany several distinct prophetic callings

Etymology: "Prophetships" is the plural of "prophetship," which is simply "prophet" with the suffix "-ship" attached. The suffix comes from Old English "scipe," meaning shape, condition or state, and it has been used for centuries to form nouns for offices, conditions and qualities, as in "friendship," "kingship" and "hardship." Attaching it to "prophet" yields a noun for the office or status of being a prophet. The base word "prophet" came into English through Old French and Latin from the Greek "prophētēs," meaning one who speaks for a god, a compound of "pro" (before, or on behalf of) and "phanai" (to speak). Its original sense was therefore "one who speaks forth," not one who foretells the future, a meaning that developed later.

Synonyms: prophethood