predictive

predictive — adjective

1. helping people judge later results from facts or signs they have now

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

helping people judge later results from facts or signs they have now

Example

The doctor looked for predictive signs in Mia's blood test.

collocation: predictive signs

At Lincoln High, Ms. Chen found attendance records predictive of dropout risk.

pattern: predictive of + result

Common collocations
  • predictive value
  • predictive sign
  • predictive data
  • predictive model
Synonyms
  • forecasting

    close in meaning, especially for systems or methods that estimate future events

  • prognostic

    more formal and common in medical or statistical contexts

  • indicative

    weaker; suggests a sign, but not always a future outcome

Antonyms
  • descriptive

    focuses on reporting existing facts rather than showing what may happen next

  • retrospective

    looks back at past events instead of later results

Grammar Patterns

predictive of something

predictive value / sign / data / model

Usage Note

Often followed by `of` when one fact points to a later result. Before a noun, it commonly describes data, signs, tests, or models.

Common Mistakes

The test is predictive for cancer risk.
The test is predictive of cancer risk.
This sense usually takes 'of' for the result it points to.

2. used for keyboard or phone features that offer likely words while you type

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

used for keyboard or phone features that offer likely words while you type

Example

Lena turned off predictive text because it kept changing her name.

collocation: predictive text

My watch uses predictive typing for short replies.

collocation: predictive typing

Common collocations
  • predictive text
  • predictive typing
  • predictive keyboard
  • predictive suggestions
Synonyms
  • autocomplete

    more specific; usually about finishing a partly typed word or phrase

  • smart

    informal and much broader; not limited to typing features

Antonyms
  • manual

    describes typing or input done without automatic suggestions

Grammar Patterns

predictive text

predictive typing / keyboard / suggestions

Usage Note

Mainly used before nouns such as `text`, `typing`, `keyboard`, and `suggestions`. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about a digital feature, not evidence about future results.

Common Mistakes

My phone is predictive of my next word.
My phone has predictive text.
Use this sense before a technology noun, not with 'of'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, `predictive` is the best general choice when present facts help you judge a later result. `Forecasting` is close, but it often describes a method or system that actively makes forecasts, especially in weather or business. `Prognostic` is more formal and is common in medicine or statistics. `Indicative` is weaker: it points to a possible connection, but not always to the future. `Forward-looking` usually describes plans, policy, or attitude rather than evidence. So a blood test can be predictive of illness, a forecasting model can estimate next month's sales, and a prognostic score can help a doctor judge recovery.

forecasting ↗prognosticindicative ↗forward-looking ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

`Predictive` comes from `predict` plus the adjective ending `-ive`. `Predict` traces back to a Latin verb meaning "say beforehand," so `predictive` describes something that helps show what may happen later or works by guessing it in advance.