portentous — giving or serving as a portent; foreboding; ominous
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: giving or serving as a portent; foreboding; ominous
Pronunciation (IPA): /pɔːrˈtentəs/
Example Sentences
- The portentous creak of the old chair made everyone fear it would collapse during the important meeting.
- His portentous announcement turned out to be about changing the office coffee brand.
- The portentous atmosphere in the room suggested that bad news was coming.
portentous
ADJECTIVE[/pɔːrˈtentəs/]
giving or serving as a portent; foreboding; ominous
The portentous black clouds gathered over the ancient castle before disaster struck.
Portentous signs herald this tremendous, momentous hour!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'portentosus', derived from 'portentum' meaning 'a sign' or 'omen', which comes from 'portendere' meaning 'to foretell' or 'to stretch forward'.
Breakdown
portent (sign, omen) + -ous (adjective suffix meaning 'full of') = portentous (full of omens, ominous)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The portentous creak of the old chair made everyone fear it would collapse during the important meeting.”
“His portentous announcement turned out to be about changing the office coffee brand.”
“The portentous atmosphere in the room suggested that bad news was coming.”
“The professor's portentous lecture style made simple concepts sound incredibly complex.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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