Portent

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɔɹtənt/

Definitions

1. An indication or warning of a future event, often suggesting something significant or momentous is coming
2. A signal or omen that hints at an important development yet to occur
3. A forewarning or token that suggests a notable or possibly ominous event will take place

Etymology: The Latin "portendere" was built from "por-", an older form of "pro-" meaning "forth" or "forward", and "tendere", "to stretch". So the verb literally meant to stretch something out before you, as if holding a sign up for others to see. The Romans used it of omens, and the noun "portentum" was the thing so held out: a sign, often a strange or alarming one, that the gods were about to act. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, and it arrived with that original flavour intact. Its sense has narrowed over the centuries. Where Latin readers could speak of any portent, English usage now leans toward signs that feel ominous or momentous, the dark clouds before a storm rather than a pleasant forecast.

Synonyms: omen, sign, augury

Antonyms: insignificance