Ominous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɒmɪnəs/

Definitions

1. Suggesting or warning that something bad or unpleasant is likely to happen
2. Conveying a sense of foreboding or indicating that something threatening or evil may be imminent
3. Signifying a potential danger or an unsettling event that casts a shadow over future occurrences

Etymology: The Romans had a superstition at the heart of this word: an "ōmen" was a sign from the gods, and the Latin word could mean "forbidden fruit" as well as "omen," which hints at how uncertain its origins are. Scholars have proposed many possible sources for the Old Latin form "osmen," and none has won general agreement, so the word's deepest roots remain a genuine mystery. What is clear is the path into English. "Ominous" comes from the Latin "ōminōsus," meaning "full of foreboding," which was built on "ōmen." The word therefore describes not the danger itself but the quality of something that announces it. A dark sky or a silent crowd can be ominous because they seem to foretell trouble, which is exactly the job the Latin word assigned to an omen.

Synonyms: threatening, menacing, foreboding, sinister, portentous

Antonyms: promising, auspicious, hopeful, favorable, bright