betoken

American  

[bih-toh-kuhn] / bɪˈtoʊ kən /

verb (used with object)

1. to give evidence of; indicate.

   to betoken one's fidelity with a vow; a kiss that betokens one's affection.

2. to be or give a token or sign of; portend.

   a thunderclap that betokens foul weather; an angry word that betokens hostility.

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betoken British  

/ bɪˈtəʊkən /

verb

1. to indicate; signify

   black clothes betoken mourning

2. to portend; augur

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Etymology

Origin of betoken

First recorded in 1125–75, betoken is from the Middle English word bitocnen, bitacnen. See be-, token

Explanation

A dark sky full of clouds might betoken a thunderstorm. In other words, the clouds indicate or point to the fact that a thunderstorm is on its way. You're most likely to come across the word betoken in an English class or a book, since it's primarily a literary word used to express the idea of signifying or symbolizing something. There's often a sense of mystery around the word; for example, a black cat might betoken bad luck, or be an omen of something slightly scary. However, there are plenty of cheerful examples, like when a ring betokens love.

Example Sentences

And though releasing a series in the last week of the year doesn’t exactly betoken confidence, I can predict with some confidence that there might be one.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2025

Banks employ armies of people in back offices, looking for discrepancies that may betoken fraud or honest error.

From Economist • Mar. 22, 2018

Cityscapes materialize on backdrops in ways that betoken both the dreamlike landscapes of Monet as well as the Tinseltown innovation of film colorization.

From Washington Post • Dec. 14, 2017

In electoral politics, likewise: a successful re-election that seemed to betoken a sustained realignment for the Democrats.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2017

What betoken the oxen but the fathers of the old law?

From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham