ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jeremiah

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˌdʒɛɹəˈmaɪə// jeremi·ah

n. someone who always predicts that bad things will happen. You use this to describe a person who is very pessimistic about the future.

n. a person who habitually prophesies doom or pessimism. Derived from the biblical prophet known for his lamentations; often used to describe critics who warn of impending social or economic collapse.


SIMPLE

Don't be such a jeremiah; the plan might actually work.

CONTEXTUAL

The economist was dismissed as a jeremiah until the market finally crashed exactly as he had predicted.

COMPLEX

While his colleagues celebrated the short-term profits, he played the role of the jeremiah, warning that the underlying debt structure was fundamentally unstable and destined for failure.

Origin

From Latin Jeremias, from Ancient Greek Ἰερεμίας (Ieremías), from Hebrew יִרְמְיָה (yirm'yá, “Jeremiah”, literally “Yahweh exalt”).

Usage

Often used with the indefinite article ('a jeremiah') to label a person's character or outlook.

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