Foreshadowers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or thing that suggests an event or situation that will occur later
2. An element within a narrative that provides hints or warnings about future developments
3. A literary device that subtly prepares the audience for upcoming changes or outcomes in a story

Etymology: "Foreshadowers" is the plural of "foreshadower," which is formed from the verb "foreshadow" with the agent suffix "-er," so it names things or people that foreshadow. "Foreshadow" itself is built from "fore," meaning before in time, and "shadow," so to foreshadow is to cast a shadow ahead of an event, hinting at what is still to come. The plural form is simply the regular -s ending added to that noun, so "foreshadowers" refers to more than one such signal or sign. The meaning follows directly from the verb: each one is a warning that appears before the thing it announces.

Synonyms: predictors, foretellers, heralds, premonitors