portent

noun
UK: /ˈpɔː.tent/
US: /ˈpɔːr.tent/

  1. A sign that something important or bad is going to happen in the future.

    1. The dark clouds were a portent of a coming storm.
    2. Some see the economic downturn as a portent of deeper structural problems.

  2. An exceptional event that presages the coming of some other event.

    1. The raven's appearance near the castle was seen as a dark portent.
    2. The sudden resignation of the CEO was a portent for the company's future.

Synonyms

omen sign warning forewarning threat prognostic

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "portent" in English means: A sign that something important or bad is going to happen in the future., An exceptional event that presages the coming of some other event..

The phonetic transcription of "portent" is /ˈpɔː.tent/ in British English and /ˈpɔːr.tent/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "portent": omen, sign, warning, forewarning, threat, prognostic.

Example usage of "portent": "The dark clouds were a portent of a coming storm.". More examples on the page.