Vate

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A poet or seer in ancient times reputed to possess prophetic insight and the ability to compose verse with divine inspiration
2. An individual recognized in historical or literary contexts for their skill in crafting poetry and foretelling events through inspired expression
3. A figure from classical or medieval traditions known for combining the roles of bard and prophet, delivering messages through poetic composition

Etymology: The word "vate" comes from Latin "vates," which meant a seer, prophet, or inspired poet, and the Romans seem to have used it for both roles without distinguishing them sharply. Its earliest Roman associations were with ritual utterance: a vates spoke words believed to come from the gods, and poetry and prophecy were two faces of the same inspired speech. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, and it has stayed a learned, rarely used term. Its sense has narrowed over time: where the Latin word covered prophecy as well as verse, English usage has mostly kept the poetic side, so a "vate" today is typically a poet whose work is treated as oracular or prophetic. Poets such as Virgil, who used the word for his own role in the Aeneid's world, are the kind of figure the term brings to mind.

Synonyms: poet, seer, prophet, bard, visionary

Antonyms: nonpoet, nonprophet