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Although sages, being known for their great wisdom, are sometimes believed to possess the ability to predict the future, there is no connection between the noun sage and the verb presage, which means—as you’ve likely foreseen—“to foretell or predict.” While sage comes from the Latin verb sapere (“to be wise”), presage comes instead from a different Latin source: the adjective praesagus, a combination of the prefix prae and sagus, meaning “prophetic.” Presage entered English first as a noun referring to an omen, that is, something that foreshadows or portends a future event. A couple of centuries later it was joined by the verb, which is used for the action of foreshadowing, as in “the current economic slowdown could presage another recession,” and may apply to suggesting a coming event or indicating its likelihood.
Examples of presage in a Sentence
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 June 2025
The result is chaos, bewilderment and delay that presages rising consumer prices.
—Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Time, 28 May 2025
Those wins usually presage a best picture victory, especially because the producers guild uses a preferential ballot similar to the Academy’s.
—The Learning Network, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for presage
Cite this Entry
“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presage. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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