omen
Americannoun
-
anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future; portent.
- Synonyms:
- foreboding, augury
-
a prognostic.
-
prophetic significance; presage.
a bird of ill omen.
verb (used with object)
-
to be an omen of; portend.
-
to divine, as if from omens.
noun
-
a phenomenon or occurrence regarded as a sign of future happiness or disaster
-
prophetic significance
verb
Synonym Usage
See sign.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of omen
First recorded in 1575–85, omen is from the Latin word ōmen
Explanation
An omen is an event or happening that you take as sign of something to come. It’s believed to be a bad omen if a black cat crosses your path or if it rains on your wedding day. Omens generally get a bad rap — that's probably because a lot of them predict bad stuff, at least according to superstition. But the interpretation of omens really depends on the country and culture. What's considered an ominous sign in one place might mean a lifetime of good luck somewhere else. Oscar Wilde once wrote that, “There is no such thing as an omen. Destiny does not send us heralds. She is too wise or too cruel for that.”
Vocabulary lists containing omen
Friday the 13th
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The Alchemist
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Similarly, a rare 2019 overlap of the Hindenburg Omen and equally ominous-sounding Titanic Indicator might have been a sign of trouble.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
“Hindenburg Omen signal, or a bunch of them, is a warning but not a guarantee of trouble. It says, ‘Pay extra attention,’” McClellan said.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 6, 2026
I’m still recovering from my grandmother having taken me as a kid to see “Damien — Omen II.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025
A publicity photo showed the Omen carrying the UAE air force's insignia.
From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025
You have begun the Banquet with a bad Omen.
From Colloquies of Erasmus, Volume I. by Erasmus, Desiderius
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
