Meaning & Definition of Portent in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: A warning or indication of an impending event, often of a significant or catastrophic nature.

  Example Sentence: The dark clouds were a portent of the storm to come.

• Definition: An omen or prophetic significance.

  Example Sentence: Many consider the appearance of a comet to be a portent of change.

• Definition: Something that foreshadows or predicts a future event.

  Example Sentence: The unusual behavior of the animals was seen as a portent by the villagers.

Etymology

Origin: From Latin 'portentum', which means 'a forewarning', from 'portendere' meaning 'to foretell'.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• portent of doom: A sign indicating impending disaster.
• dark portent: A gloomy or ominous sign.

Translations

• Spanish: portento

• French: présage

• German: Vorzeichen

• Russian: предзнаменование

Related Words

• omen: A phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future.

• augury: The practice of interpreting omens from the observed behavior of animals.

• sign: An indication or evidence of something.