premonish

verb

pre·mon·ish (ˌ)prē-ˈmä-nish

premonished; premonishing; premonishes

transitive verb

archaic : forewarn

intransitive verb

archaic : to give warning in advance

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of premonish was circa 1530

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

premolt

premonish

premonition

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Premonish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premonish. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

jettison

Listen to the pronunciation of jettison

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language