A Seer Is Literally One Who Sees
A seer is a person who foresees the future. The word is built plainly from see.
A seer is a person credited with the power to see the future. The word is built straightforwardly — *see* plus the agent ending *-er* — and the metaphor of prophecy as sight runs right through English: we speak of *foresight*, *vision*, *insight*, *second sight* and *revelation*, which literally means an unveiling. The connection is so natural that most speakers never notice it. Old Testament prophets were called seers, and the English word translates the Hebrew *ro'eh*, also meaning one who sees.
- A prophet. *An ancient seer.*
- One with second sight. *A seer.*
- Foresight. *Foresight.*
- Visionary. *A visionary.*
- English — *see* plus *-er*. *The build.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | seer | A seer. |
| Plural | seers | Seers. |
| Related | see | To see. |
| Related | foresee | To foresee. |
| Related | seeress | A seeress. |
- The seer warned the king.Prophecy.
- Seer means one who sees.Etymology.
- She had second sight.Idiom.
Knowing described as seeing
- I see — I understand
- Insight — literally seeing into
- Vision — a plan for the future
- Revelation — an unveiling
- Perspective — a way of looking through
From *see* plus the agent suffix *-er*, recorded from the 1300s.
What does seer mean literally?
One who sees. The word is see plus the agent ending, and it translates a Hebrew term with the same sense.
Why is knowing so often described as seeing?
The metaphor is ancient and near-universal, giving English insight, vision, revelation and I see for I understand.