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Definition of presage
1 : something that foreshadows or portends a future event : omen
2 : an intuition or feeling of what is going to happen in the future
3 archaic : prognostication
4 : warning or indication of the future
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Examples of presage in a Sentence
I had a nagging presage that the results of my medical tests would not be good.
the sight of the first robin is always a welcome presage of spring
Origin and Etymology of presage
Middle English, from Latin praesagium, from praesagus having a foreboding, from prae- + sagus prophetic — more at seek
Definition of presage
presaged
;presaging
transitive verb
1 : to give an omen or warning of : foreshadow
intransitive verb
: to make or utter a prediction
presager
noun, obsoleteExamples of presage in a Sentence
Many investors are worried that the current slowdown could presage another recession.
events that presaged the civil rights movement
Recent Examples of presage from the Web
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The European Union’s case against Google presages what a more aggressive regulatory regime could look like here at home.
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And nothing in her life presaged the troubles that would befall her years later.
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As if presaging the coming showdown over Trump’s travel ban, which the Supreme Court could agree to hear any moment, Breyer issued a parting shot that seems aimed at keeping his colleagues on alert about what’s to come.
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Barry Diller, the former chairman of Paramount Pictures and latter-day Internet eminence, in conversation with V.F. editor Graydon Carter, presaged the demise of the film business.
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Jon Ossoff’s defeat would not tell us what will happen 17 months from now in the 2018 midterms any more than Republican Tim Burns’ defeat in a 2010 Pennsylvania special election presaged that year’s midterm outcome nationally.
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May 10, 2016 In March, after a terrorist attack in Westminster, Donald Trump Jr. presaged his father’s tweets on Sunday, taking a comment that Khan made out of context to criticize him.
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However, by early Saturday afternoon, cumulus clouds had begun to develop near the launch site, which presages the formation of afternoon showers and thunderstorms—as is common in Florida during the summer.
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Even after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates -- a move that presages higher mortgage rates -- developers have seen brisk sales.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'presage'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
The verb presage was predated by a noun presage, meaning "omen." Both forms derive from the Latin prefix prae- combined with the adjective sagus, meaning "prophetic." Foretell, predict, forecast, prophesy, and presage all mean "to tell beforehand." Foretell applies to telling of a future event by any procedure or any source of information ("seers foretold the calamity"). Predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature ("astronomers predicted an eclipse"). Forecast implies anticipating eventualities and is usually concerned with probabilities ("to forecast snow"). Prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future ("prophesying a new messiah"). Presage may apply to suggesting a coming event or indicating its likelihood.
First Known Use of presage
1562
PRESAGE Defined for English Language Learners
presage
playDefinition of presage for English Language Learners
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: to give or be a sign of (something that will happen or develop in the future)
Learn More about presage
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See words that rhyme with presage Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for presage Spanish Central: Translation of presage Nglish: Translation of presage for Spanish speakers
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