presage

[ noun pres-ij; verb pres-ij, pri-seyj ]

noun

1. a presentiment or foreboding.

   Synonyms: premonition, indication

2. something that portends or foreshadows a future event; an omen, prognostic, or warning indication.

   Synonyms: token, sign, portent

3. prophetic significance; augury.
4. foresight; prescience.
5. Archaic. a forecast or prediction.

verb (used with object)

, pres·aged, pres·ag·ing.

1. to have a presentiment of.
2. to portend, foreshow, or foreshadow:

   The incidents may presage war.

3. to forecast; predict.

verb (used without object)

, pres·aged, pres·ag·ing.

1. to make a prediction.
2. Archaic. to have a presentiment.

presage

noun

1. an intimation or warning of something about to happen; portent; omen
2. a sense of what is about to happen; foreboding
3. archaic.
   a forecast or prediction

verb

1. tr to have a presentiment of
2. tr to give a forewarning of; portend
3. intr to make a prediction

Derived Forms

• preˈsageful, adjective
• preˈsagefully, adverb
• preˈsager, noun

Other Words From

• presage·ful adjective
• presage·ful·ly adverb
• presag·er noun
• un·presaged adjective
• un·presag·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of presage¹

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Middle French presage < Latin praesāgium presentiment, forewarning, equivalent to praesāg ( us ) having a foreboding ( prae- pre- + sāgus prophetic; sagacious ) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of presage¹

C14: from Latin praesāgium presentiment, from praesāgīre to perceive beforehand, from sāgīre to perceive acutely

Example Sentences

It strikes me as a presage of the challenges we’ll increasingly face to survive the climate crisis while we work to solve it.

From Time

From quotes Clinton a lot, and he credits Clinton with saying that an intellectual resurgence has to presage political power.

From The Daily Beast

But I recall nothing in Possession, Angels & Insects, Babel Tower, or her other books that seems to presage this one.

From The Daily Beast

There were so many unmistakable signs to presage what was coming that I knew a cannibal feast was about to take place.

From Project Gutenberg

The song is founded upon the story of the aged couple of whom I spoke, and is regarded as a contribution of good presage.

From Project Gutenberg

Only for a moment could any presage of personal fear cloud the sweet serenity of the Maid's nature.

From Project Gutenberg

Ominous word at such a moment, but the presage of something darker and more ominous still.

From Project Gutenberg

The most encouraging time for them was from the year 1874 to 1875, when all seemed to presage better days for them.

From Project Gutenberg