Predict vs predicate

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Grammarist

Predict and predicate are two words that are often confused, as they are very close in spelling and pronunciation. We will examine the definitions of the words predict and predicate, where these terms came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Predict means to foretell that a certain thing will happen in the future, to prophesy something either in a metaphysical way or because one may understand the natural consequences of something. Predict is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are predicts, predicted, predicting, predictor, prediction. The word predict is derived from the Latin word praedicatus, meaning to foretell or prophesy.

Predicate is a word with a very specific meaning when used to describe grammar, as well as a very specific meaning when employing logic. When discussing grammar, the word predicate is used as a noun to mean the part of a clause or sentence that includes the verb and all its attributes. When employing logic, the word predicate is used as a verb to declare that something is true or make some other assertion regarding the subject at hand. The word predicate is derived from the Latin word praedicare, meaning proclaim or declare in public.

Examples

After all-night negotiations in the final hours of the 2017 legislative session failed to produce an agreement between the GOP majorities in the Senate and House, leaders are predicting quick action when the Legislature convenes Monday in Des Moines. (The Mason City Globe Gazette)

This could become a powerful tool in predicting policy changes, said Yoshiyuki Suimon, a researcher at Nomura’s Financial & Economic Research Center and the lead author of the study. (The Japan Times)

Yoda says things like ‘the greatest teacher failure is’ … If you were to say that in a language like Hawaiian … it would be almost exactly the same … putting the predicate before the subject. (The Daily Mail)

While much of the high school water polo game is predicated on scoring goals, Churukian is already showing off the style of game needed for the college and international levels, where the 2-meter man does not need to physically put the ball in the back of the net to be successful, but helps set up those scoring plays — whether through passes to open teammates or by forcing the opposition to play a man short because of fouls committed against him. (The San Mateo Daily Journal)