Premonitions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A strong feeling or intuition about a future event, often perceived as an omen or warning
2. The ability to sense or foresee impending occurrences or changes, typically without concrete evidence
3. An anticipatory awareness of future developments that evokes a sense of foresight or caution

Etymology: "Premonitions" is the plural of "premonition," which combines the Latin prefix "prae-," meaning "before," with "monere," meaning "to warn." Read literally, a premonition is a warning given in advance. The same root produced "monitor" and "admonish," and it also lies behind "monument," from "monumentum," something that serves as a reminder. The Latin word described an actual caution, not a private feeling. The sense of an inner intuition about what lies ahead developed later in English, so the word's modern meaning drifts from announcing a danger toward sensing one.

Synonyms: forewarnings, warnings, intuition, hunches, forecasts

Antonyms: ignorance, unawareness