presage

noun

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pres·age | \ ˈpre-sij

also pri-ˈsāj

Definition of presage

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

presage

verb

pre·sage | \ ˈpre-sij

, pri-ˈsāj

presaged; presaging

Definition of presage (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to give an omen or warning of : foreshadow

2 : foretell, predict

intransitive verb

: to make or utter a prediction

Other Words from presage Synonyms Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About presage

Other Words from presage

Noun

presageful \ pri-ˈsāj-fəl

\ adjective

Verb

presager noun, obsolete

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 ("the meteorologist forecasts snow"). Prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future ("the soothsayer prophesied a new messiah"). Presage may apply to suggesting a coming event or indicating its likelihood.

Examples of presage in a Sentence

Noun 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 Verb Many investors are worried that the current slowdown could presage another recession. events that presaged the civil rights movement

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Does President Orlean’s violent death presage that life on the new planet is doomed? — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 28 Dec. 2021 Later on, jagged orchestral accents punctuate clattering and pounding percussion parts, and big brassy climaxes presage ghostly slides in the violins. — Tim Diovanni, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2021 Russian forces are positioned in a way that could allow presage training exercises or something worse, according to U.S. officials. — Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2021 Whether the Hallaq demonstrations, the economic malaise in the Palestinian territories, and the looming prospect of annexation presage a wider upsurge in protest remains to be seen. — Tareq Baconi, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020 Signs warning drivers to signal their presence with a honk presage two bends in the narrow pass, which is wide enough for about one and a half cars. — Ben Brazil, latimes.com, 16 Feb. 2018 The neighborhood went dark at 9:02 p.m. Saturday because of a downed power line – an ominous presage, — Chris Haire, Orange County Register, 16 Apr. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb In the Optimist production, this number is sung twice; its first appearance comes at the top of the show and is rendered by Hero, who unwittingly presages the way she herself will later be undone by Claudio. — Mike Fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 July 2017 The event presaged the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, a larger citywide revolt and the subject of the monument near which Trump gave his speech Thursday. — Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 6 July 2017 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. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 4 June 2017 And nothing in her life presaged the troubles that would befall her years later. — Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal, 23 June 2017 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. — Cristian Farias, Daily Intelligencer, 21 June 2017 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. — Chuck Todd, NBC News, 19 June 2017 The European Union’s case against Google presages what a more aggressive regulatory regime could look like here at home. — Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 27 June 2017 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. — Jon Kelly, The Hive, 19 June 2017 See More

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.