presage

US: /ˈprɛsɪdʒ, prɪˈseɪdʒ/

US: (n. pres′ij; v. pres′ij, pri sāj′)

Inflections of 'presage' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

presages

v 3rd person singular

presaging

v pres p

presaged

v past

presaged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pres•age /ˈprɛsɪdʒ, prɪˈseɪdʒ/   v. [~ + object] , -aged, -ag•ing. 

1. to be a sign or warning of;
   portend;
   foreshadow:
   Those terrorist incidents may presage war.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pres•age  (n. pres′ij;v. pres′ij, pri sāj′), n., v., -aged, -ag•ing. 
n. 

1. a presentiment or foreboding.
2. something that portends or foreshadows a future event;
   an omen, prognostic, or warning indication.
3. prophetic significance;
   augury.
4. foresight;
   prescience.
5. [Archaic.] a forecast or prediction.

v.t. 

6. to have a presentiment of.
7. to portend, foreshow, or foreshadow:
   The incidents may presage war.
8. to forecast;
   predict.

v.i. 

9. to make a prediction.
10. [Archaic.] to have a presentiment.

• Latin praesāgium presentiment, forewarning, equivalent. to praesāg(us) having a foreboding (prae- pre- + sāgus prophetic; compare sagacious) + -ium -ium
• Middle French presage
• Middle English (noun, nominal) 1350–1400

pres′age•ful, adj. 
pres′age•ful•ly, adv. 
pres′ag•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. foreshadowing, indication, premonition.
• 2. portent, sign, token.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

presage noun / ˈprɛsɪdʒ/

1. an intimation or warning of something about to happen; portent; omen
2. a sense of what is about to happen; foreboding

verb / ˈprɛsɪdʒ prɪˈseɪdʒ/

1. (transitive) to have a presentiment of
2. (transitive) to give a forewarning of; portend

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin praesāgium presentiment, from praesāgīre to perceive beforehand, from sāgīre to perceive acutely

preˈsageful adjective

preˈsager noun