portent

noun

por·​tent ˈpȯr-ˌtent How to pronounce portent (audio)
1
: something that foreshadows a coming event : omen, sign
2
: prophetic indication or significance
3

Examples of portent in a Sentence

a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Matthew stresses royalty, prefacing the birth with heavenly portents; afterward, Magi bear royal gifts to a future king. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025 But the attacks could have been interpreted very differently: as a horrific case of blowback and a portent of resistance to U.S. hegemony. Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2023 Weinstein’s thuggish joke was just one portent of the edgy, borderline sinister air that permeated the party from the very beginning. Scott Huver, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025 As the two settle into their new house, Michael Shanks, the film’s Australian writer-director, pulls an anything-goes series of shocking portents. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for portent

Word History

Etymology

Latin portentum, from neuter of portentus, past participle of portendere

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of portent was in 1562

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Cite this Entry

“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portent. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

portent

noun
por·​tent ˈpȯ(ə)r-ˌtent How to pronounce portent (audio)
ˈpō(ə)r-
: a sign or warning of a coming event : omen

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