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Definition of portent - 4 dictionary results

por⋅tent

  [pawr-tent, pohr-]
Use portent in a Sentence
–noun
1. an indication or omen of something about to happen, esp. something momentous.
2. threatening or disquieting significance: an occurrence of dire portent.
3. a prodigy or marvel.
Origin:
1555–65; < L portentum sign, token, n. use of neut. of portentus, ptp. of portendere to portend

Synonyms:
1. augury, warning. See sign. 2. import.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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por·tent   (pôr'těnt', pōr'-)   
n.  
  1. An indication of something important or calamitous about to occur; an omen.
  2. Prophetic or threatening significance: signs full of portent.
  3. Something amazing or marvelous; a prodigy.

[Latin portentum, from neuter past participle of portendere, to portend; see portend.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Portent

Por*tent"\ (?; 277), n. [L. portentum. See Portend.] That which portends, or foretoken; esp., that which portends evil; a sign of coming calamity; an omen; a sign. --Shak.

My loss by dire portents the god foretold. --Dryden.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : portent
Spanish: presagio, augurio,
German: das Vorzeichen,
Japanese: 前兆
More Translations »

portent 
1563, from M.Fr. portente, from L. portentum "a sign, omen," from neut. of portentus, pp. of portendre (see portend). Portentous is recorded from c.1540.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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