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Meaning of portentous
The primary meaning of the word "portentous" is having or showing a sense of significance or importance, often in a way that suggests something serious or bad is going to happen.
Etymology of portentous
The word "portentous" comes from the Latin "portentosus", meaning "full of signs" or "ominous", which is derived from "portentum", meaning "sign", "omen", or "portent"
Historically, the term has been used to describe events, signs, or occurrences that were believed to foretell the future, often with a sense of foreboding or warning
Synonyms
ominous
foreboding
menacing
threatening
sinister
dire
gloomy
dark
somber
grave
serious
solemn
momentous
significant
fateful
unlucky
inauspicious
unpromising
unfavorable
direful
calamitous
disastrous
catastrophic
apocalyptic
doomy
ill-omened
ill-fated
hapless
doomful
baleful
malevolent
malign
malignant
minatory
warning
cautionary
predictive
prophetic
augural
Definitions
- Giving a sign or warning of something, especially something bad, that will happen in the future
- * Impressive or self-important in a way that is intended to attract attention or admiration
Usage Examples
- The dark and stormy night was a portentous sign that the journey would be treacherous
- * The company's financial troubles are a portentous warning of a potential bankruptcy
- * The politician's portentous speech was full of vague promises and lacking in concrete details