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Mar 25, 2016 · A: An “omen” has always been neutral—it can be good news or bad—but something that’s “ominous” is a bummer. In fact, by definition “ominous” means inauspicious. How did this come to be?
An omen (also called portent) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. [2] It was commonly believed in ancient times, and still believed by some today, that omens bring divine messages from the gods. [3]
In order to effectively communicate using the words “sign” and “omen,” it is important to understand their meanings and how they can be used in a sentence. While these two words are often used interchangeably, they have distinct differences that must be considered.
Whether omen and ominous are linguistically related is a matter with a remarkably low priority in the speech technologies.
Latin is remarkable for the abundance of terms which in literary usage are employed indifferently to denote the divine sign, the omen. But etymology enables us to restore the preliterary distinctions between. omen ‘a veracious presage’. monstrum ‘a creature whose abnormality constitutes a warning’ ( moneo ‘to warn’).
While “inauspicious” carries a sense of unfavorable circumstances, “ominous” takes it a step further, delving into the realm of foreboding and impending doom. When something is described as “ominous,” it implies an imminent threat or danger that looms over a situation.
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Are omen and ominous linguistically related?
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In the religions of ancient Rome, an omen, plural omina, was a sign intimating the future, considered less important to the community than a prodigium but of great importance to the person who heard or saw it. Omina could be good or bad.
