harbinger

American  

[hahr-bin-jer] / ˈhɑr bɪn dʒər /

noun

1. a person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; herald.

2. anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign.

   Frost is a harbinger of winter.

   Synonyms:

   indication, portent, precursor, forerunner, herald

3. a person sent in advance of troops, a royal train, etc., to provide or secure lodgings and other accommodations.

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verb (used with object)

1. to act as harbinger to; herald the coming of.

harbinger British  

/ ˈhɑːbɪndʒə /

noun

1. a person or thing that announces or indicates the approach of something; forerunner

2. obsolete a person sent in advance of a royal party or army to obtain lodgings for them

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verb

1. (tr) to announce the approach or arrival of

Usage

What does harbinger mean? Harbinger most commonly means an omen or a sign of something to come. Harbinger can also mean a person sent ahead to make people aware that someone else is coming (such as a king) or to make preparations (such as for an army), but these meanings are much less common. Harbinger can also be used as a verb meaning to act as a sign or omen. Example: These flowers are always the first to bloom, so people consider them harbingers of spring.

Etymology

Origin of harbinger

First recorded in 1125–75; late Middle English herbenger, nasalized variant of Middle English herbegere, dissimilated variant of Old French herberg(i)ere “host,” equivalent to herberg(ier) “to shelter” (from Germanic; see harbor) + -iere -er ²

Explanation

A harbinger is something that comes before and that shows what will follow in the future. The robin is a harbinger of spring — its presence means spring is coming soon. The appearance of a ghost is often thought of as a harbinger of death. Middle English herbergere is from Old French herbergeor, "host," from herberge, "camp, shelter," a word ultimately borrowed from a Germanic language.

Example Sentences

“Going to the bullpen has been a harbinger of danger for the Angels,” Randazzo told viewers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The study warned the case was a "harbinger" of the pollution to come, given how many rockets will be needed to launch all the satellites that Earth is planning to blast into space.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Discord won’t remain a pariah; instead, its moves are a harbinger of what’s coming for every major online space.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026

“This verdict for the plaintiff in the very first bellwether trial is a harbinger of what’s to come,” Sarah London, who served as co-lead trial attorney and is co-leading the multidistrict litigation, said Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

This is how I think of him: like his namesake, the raven, a harbinger of death and doom.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

Related Words

• omen
• portent
• precursor