portent

American  

[pawr-tent, pohr-] / ˈpɔr tɛnt, ˈpoʊr- /

noun

1. an indication or omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous.

   Synonyms:

   warning, augury

2. threatening or disquieting significance.

   an occurrence of dire portent.

   Synonyms:

   import

3. a prodigy or marvel.

---

portent British  

/ ˈpɔːtɛnt /

noun

1. a sign or indication of a future event, esp a momentous or calamitous one; omen

2. momentous or ominous significance

   a cry of dire portent

3. a miraculous occurrence; marvel

---

Synonym Usage

See sign.

Etymology

Origin of portent

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin portentum “sign, token,” noun use of neuter of portentus, past participle of portendere “to signify, presage, portend”; see portend

Explanation

While you might love crows, your father will shudder when he sees them if he superstitiously believes they're a portent — a sign or warning — of death. A portent is an omen of something momentous, which can be good, but is more often negative. You can use portent to mean a magical foretelling or symbol, but you can also use it to talk about something real, the way you could describe big, dark storm clouds as a portent of a thunderstorm.

Example Sentences

There has been a deluge of similarly admiring pieces – headlines include “The Giver: A Portent Of What Might Be?”

From The Guardian • Aug. 20, 2014

Co-authored with Ian Lurie, CEO and founder of Seattle-based Portent Inc. A version of this post first appeared on the Portent blog.

From Forbes • Aug. 18, 2014

A small consolation for Hodder, which has also recently lost Jeffrey Archer to Harper Collins, is that Herbert's sixteenth novel, Portent, is now in its eleventh week in the top 10 bestseller list.

From The Guardian • Mar. 21, 2013

Typically, as in the didactically eco-conscious Portent, romantic love redeems the loner hero.

From The Guardian • Mar. 21, 2013

Penalities: The French Revolution; cruelest Portent that has risen into created Space these ten centuries.

From Past and Present by Carlyle, Thomas

Related Words

• harbinger
• omen
• premonition