Portent

Portent is a sign or warning that something significant or calamitous is likely to happen. As a noun, it denotes an omen or omen-like event that foreshadows future occurrences. Portents can be natural phenomena, coincidences, or symbolic events, and they may be interpreted as foretelling either positive or negative outcomes, though the term is commonly associated with doom or major change.

Etymology: Portent comes from Latin portentum, meaning a sign or omen, derived from portendere, to foretell. The word entered English via Old French in the medieval period and has retained a formal or literary resonance.

Usage: In everyday language, a portent is any sign that something important will occur; the sense can be neutral or ominous. The adjective portentous is often used to describe events, speeches, or appearances that seem to announce or presage something significant, sometimes with a pompous or grave tone.

In literature and criticism, portents are often employed as devices to foreshadow plot developments. They may appear as dreams, natural events, or symbolic imagery that invites readers to anticipate future consequences.

See also: omen, augury, harbinger, foreshadowing, prophecy.