World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesPortent
/ˈpɔːr.tɛnt/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A sign or warning that something momentous or calamitous is likely to happen.
"The dark storm clouds gathering on the horizon were seen as a portent of disaster." - 2
A marvelous or monstrous event regarded as a sign of the future.
"Ancient historians recorded the sudden appearance of the comet as a dark portent for the ruling dynasty."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Latin noun 'portentum', meaning a sign or omen, which stems from the verb 'portendere' (to point out or foreshadow, combining 'pro-' meaning forth and 'tendere' meaning to stretch). Entering English in the late 15th century, the word retained its original meaning of a prophetic sign or extraordinary event indicating future happenings.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Portent"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Portent" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
présage
Transliteration: pre-zaz
"Le vol des oiseaux était considéré comme un mauvais présage."
Vorzeichen
Transliteration: foːɐ̯ˌtsaɪçn̩
"Dunkle Wolken am Himmel sind oft ein schlechtes Vorzeichen."
presagio
Transliteration: pre-za-jo
"Quell'evento insolito fu interpretato come un brutto presagio."
pressagio
Transliteration: pres-sa-hjo
Script: presagio
"El eclipse fue tomado como un oscuro presagio por los aldeanos."
presságio
Transliteration: pre-sa-ʒu
"O silêncio repentino na floresta era um presságio de perigo."
अपशकुन
Transliteration: apshakun
Script: हिंदी देवनागरी
"काले बादल किसी बड़ी आपदा का अपशकुन लग रहे थे।"
预兆
Transliteration: yùzhào
Script: 中文汉字
"这场突如其来的暴风雨是不祥的预兆。"
전조
Transliteration: jeonjo
Script: 한국어 한글
"그 기이한 현상은 다가올 비극의 전조였다."
前兆
Transliteration: zenchō
Script: 日本語
"その不気味な静けさは嵐の前兆だった。"
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