premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈni-shən  ˌpre- 

1

: previous notice or warning : forewarning

2

: anticipation of an event without conscious reason : presentiment

Synonyms

• foreboding
• presage
• presentiment
• prognostication

Examples of premonition in a Sentence

She had a premonition that he would call.

she had a premonition that her cat would somehow get hurt that day

Recent Examples on the Web

The story deals with ghostly premonitions and a locked door to a secret, creepy attic — that’s more like it, Mike — but also with the origins of Chuck’s relationship to dance. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Sep. 2024

As a teacher in his early twenties, Zhang felt the premonition of a crisis. —Chang Che, The New Yorker, 30 July 2024

Jackie Speier was shot five times by gunman sent by the Rev. Jim Jones Jackie Speier had a premonition in the days leading up to an impending fact-finding mission to Jonestown, a remote jungle settlement in Guyana founded by Rev. Jim Jones and his followers in the Peoples Temple church. —Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 17 June 2024

Such premonitions of doom have long been an inspiration for prophecy. —Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English premunition, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin premunition-, premunitio, alteration of Late Latin praemonitio, from Latin praemonēre to warn in advance, from prae- + monēre to warn — more at mind

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈnish-ən  ˌprem-ə- 

: a feeling that something is going to happen

a premonition of disaster

premonitory

pri-ˈmän-ə-ˌtōr-ē

-ˌtȯr-

adjective