Minatory

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exhibiting a quality that suggests potential harm or intimidation
2. Characterized by a disposition that creates an atmosphere of fear or menace
3. Showing an intention to cause harm or to warn of danger with an intimidating attitude

Etymology: "Minatory" carries a sharp, menacing edge, yet its ancestry is a stern Latin verb of threat. The Late Latin adjective "minātōrius" grew out of "minārī," meaning to threaten or utter threats, and the word passed into Middle French as "minatoire" before English borrowed it. Its close relative "menace" followed a similar path, so the two words are cousins that arrived by the same route and kept the same grim sense of intimidation. The adjective's suffix, "-ory," marks it as a word meaning "pertaining to" or "serving for," so a minatory glance is literally one that belongs to threatening. English writers have used it in this sense for centuries, usually to describe a tone, gesture, or warning rather than a physical danger. Its rarity today makes it sound more formal than "threatening," which may explain why it survives mainly in literary prose.

Synonyms: threatening, menacing, ominous, dangerous

Antonyms: promising, encouraging, reassuring, safe