portentous

[ pawr-ten-tuh s, pohr- ]

/ pɔrˈtɛn təs, poʊr- /

adjective

of the nature of a portent; momentous.

ominously significant or indicative: a portentous defeat.

marvelous; amazing; prodigious.

Nearby words

portcullis, porte, porte-cochere, portend, portent, portentous, porter, porter chair, porter's sign, porter, cole, porter, david

Origin of portentous

From the Latin word portentōsus, dating back to 1530–40. See portent, -ous

SYNONYMS FOR portentous

1, 2 See ominous.

2 unpropitious, inauspicious, threatening.

Related forms

por·ten·tous·ly, adverbpor·ten·tous·ness, nounnon·por·ten·tous, adjectivenon·por·ten·tous·ly, adverb

non·por·ten·tous·ness, nounun·por·ten·tous, adjectiveun·por·ten·tous·ly, adverbun·por·ten·tous·ness, noun

Can be confusedportentous pretentious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for portentously

And then all this gets underlined and italicized by a portentously romantic score.
Is Lindsay Lohan a Work Of Art?|Blake Gopnik|June 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Portentously, the opposition consisted of communists, liberals, fascists, and a well-off middle class.
Leslie H. Gelb on a World in Crisis—and What Obama Should Do|Leslie H. Gelb|December 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The lad seems to wish to make up for the natural insignificance of his face by frowning on all occasions most portentously.
George Cruikshank|William Makepeace Thackeray
"I believe that young Mangan is simply a Rebel" resumed Mrs. Kirby, portentously.
Mount Music|E. Oe. Somerville and Martin Ross

Stinson and Mathews, who were supposed to be out of it anyway, winked at each other portentously.
The Woman from Outside|Hulbert Footner
The face of Miss Greene, portentously grave, was peeping through the jar.
Mrs. Korner Sins Her Mercies|Jerome K. Jerome
In her stead, Mrs. Marrable portentously approached the stage, with an open letter in her hand.
No Name|Wilkie Collins

British Dictionary definitions for portentously

portentous

/ (pɔːˈtɛntəs) /

adjective

of momentous or ominous significance

miraculous, amazing, or awe-inspiring; prodigious

self-important or pompous

Derived Formsportentously, adverbportentousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for portentously

portentous

adj.

1540s, from Latin portentosus "monstrous, marvelous, threatening," from portentem "portent" (see portend). Related: Portentously.