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   Por·tent

   /ˈpôrˌtent/

   

   noun

   • 1. a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen: "they believed that wild birds in the house were portents of death" Similar omensignindicationpresagewarningforewarningharbingeraugurysignalpromisethreatmenaceill omenforecastpredictionprognosticationprophecystraw in the windwriting on the wallhintauspicepremonitionpresentimentfeelingvague feelingfunny feelingfeeling in one's bonesforebodingmisgivingliterary:foretoken
   • ▪ future significance: "an omen of grave portent for the tribe" Similar significanceimportanceimportconsequencemeaningmeaningfulnessmomentmomentousnessweightweightinesscruciality
   • 2. an exceptional or wonderful person or thing: literary "what portent can be greater than a pious notary?"

   Word Origin late 16th century: from Latin portentum ‘omen, token’, from the verb portendere (see portend).

   Scrabble Points: 9

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