premonition

[pree-muh-nish-uhn, prem-uh-]

See more synonyms for premonition on Thesaurus.com

noun

a feeling of anticipation of or anxiety over a future event; presentiment: He had a vague premonition of danger.
a forewarning.

Origin of premonition

1425–75; late Middle English premunicioun (cf. praemunire) < Late Latin praemonitiōn- (stem of praemonitiō) forewarning. See pre-, monition

Synonyms

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1. foreboding, portent, omen, sign.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for premonition

Contemporary Examples

One night, when her daughter, Sarah Dawn Ray, called, the two women had a premonition that the situation could soon turn violent.
Under Obama, a Breakdown in the Death Benefits Owed to Veterans
Aaron Glantz
May 1, 2013
An accident victim named Johnny Smith wakes from a coma with a skill at premonition.
Stephen L. Carter’s Book Bag: 5 Best Presidential Thrillers
Stephen L. Carter
July 10, 2012
From the moment the Tea Party emerged on the scene, I had a premonition that I would eventually have to leave the GOP.
Goodbye GOP
David Frum
June 12, 2012
But I am shocked how these new rumors have been codified into a kind of collective South African premonition.
Will the World Cup Start a Riot?
Gretchen L. Wilson
June 10, 2010
Maybe Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige had a premonition.
Inside Scientology's Big Defection
Kim Masters
November 4, 2009

Historical Examples

His premonition that they might be "Rubes" seemed likely to have been well founded.
The Portygee
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
There was a premonition of his return at the Snow breakfast table.
The Portygee
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
That you had a premonition that he might come to you for assistance.
The Snare
Rafael Sabatini
I cried, leaping to my feet, a premonition of what he was about turning me cold with horror.
The Strolling Saint
Raphael Sabatini
She flung away from Andre-Louis, as if moved by some premonition of what was coming.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for premonition

premonition

noun

an intuition of a future, usually unwelcome, occurrence; foreboding
an early warning of a future event; forewarning

Derived Formspremonitory (prɪˈmɒnɪtərɪ, -trɪ), adjective

Word Origin

C16: from Late Latin praemonitiō, from Latin praemonēre to admonish beforehand, from prae before + monēre to warn, advise

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 premonition

n.

mid-15c., from Anglo-French premunition, Middle French premonicion, from Late Latin praemonitionem (nominative praemonitio) "a forewarning," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin praemonere "forewarn," from prae "before" (see pre-) + monere "to warn" (see monitor (n.)).

premonition

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Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for premonition

Contemporary Examples

One night, when her daughter, Sarah Dawn Ray, called, the two women had a premonition that the situation could soon turn violent.

An accident victim named Johnny Smith wakes from a coma with a skill at premonition.

From the moment the Tea Party emerged on the scene, I had a premonition that I would eventually have to leave the GOP.

But I am shocked how these new rumors have been codified into a kind of collective South African premonition.

Maybe Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige had a premonition.

Historical Examples

His premonition that they might be "Rubes" seemed likely to have been well founded.

There was a premonition of his return at the Snow breakfast table.

That you had a premonition that he might come to you for assistance.

I cried, leaping to my feet, a premonition of what he was about turning me cold with horror.

She flung away from Andre-Louis, as if moved by some premonition of what was coming.

premonition

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for premonition

n.

Origin of premonition