presentiment
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- presentimental adjective
Etymology
Origin of presentiment
1705–15; < French, now obsolete spelling of pressentiment. See pre-, sentiment
Explanation
Do you ever have the feeling that something bad is about to happen? That’s called a presentiment. The word presentiment comes from the Latin word præsentire, meaning “to sense beforehand.” Some people call it a "gut feeling." For example, if you leave for a trip and something doesn't feel right, you may chalk it up to just being nervous. But later, when your flight is cancelled and you lose your luggage, you may remember that little twinge — the presentiment that something bad was about to happen.
Vocabulary lists containing presentiment
Common Senses: Sent, Sens ("Feel")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 12, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jane Eyre
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s the type of hazards and presentiment that feel inherent to womanhood.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2024
She opens the bag and it's full of money - another presentiment.
From The Guardian • Oct. 3, 2010
That image, the presentiment it carried, startled him out of his own morass, he said.
From New York Times • Jul. 23, 2010
Or maybe Mami had a presentiment of what was to come.
From The New Yorker • Mar. 15, 2010
Lourdes arrives home with a presentiment of disaster.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
