a sign or indication of a future event, esp a momentous or calamitous one; omen momentous or ominous significance: a cry of dire portent a miraculous occurrence; marvel
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
por•tent /ˈpɔrtɛnt/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- something that portends:[countable]a portent of even worse defeats to come.
- significance;
meaning:[uncountable]occurrences of dire portent.
por•tent
(pôr′tent, pōr′-),USA pronunciation n.
- an indication or omen of something about to happen, esp. something momentous.
- threatening or disquieting significance:an occurrence of dire portent.
- a prodigy or marvel.
- Latin portentum sign, token, noun, nominal use of neuter of portentus, past participle of portendere to portend
- 1555–65
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged augury, warning. See sign.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged import.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'portent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
augury
- demonstrate
- foreboding
- forerunner
- glinn
- handwriting
- harbinger
- indication
- monster
- muster
- omen
- passing bell
- portentous
- premonition
- presage
- prognostic
- sign
- warning