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presentiment

noun
pre·​sen·​ti·​ment | \ pri-ˈzen-tÉ™-mÉ™nt How to pronounce presentiment (audio) \

Definition of presentiment

: a feeling that something will or is about to happen : premonition
Other Words from presentiment Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about presentiment

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Other Words from presentiment

presentimental \ pri-​ËŒzen-​tÉ™-​ˈmen-​tᵊl How to pronounce presentimental (audio) \ adjective

Did You Know?

Do you ever have presentiments, Mr. Flintwich?' 'I am not sure that I know what you mean by the term, sir,' replied that gentleman. 'Say, in this case, Mr. Flintwich, undefined anticipations of pleasure to come.' 'I can't say I'm sensible of such a sensation at present,' returned Mr. Flintwich, with the utmost gravity. Nothing sensational said here, perhaps, but Mr. Flintwich shows a sensitivity to words that, like "presentiment," are related to the Latin verb sentire, ("to feel"). He uses two of these words, and we've added three more. The quote is from Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit, and the words are "sensible," "sensation," "sensational," "sensitivity," and "sense."

Examples of presentiment in a Sentence

a nagging presentiment of danger

Recent Examples on the Web

 Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure. — Han Kang, Harper's magazine, "White Out," 10 Feb. 2019 Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, "From Covington Catholic to an Uneasy Davos," 25 Jan. 2019 During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner. — Jesse Green, New York Times, "Review: The Future Is Always Present in ‘Time and the Conways’," 10 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'presentiment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of presentiment

1714, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for presentiment

French pressentiment, from Middle French, from pressentir to have a presentiment, from Latin praesentire to feel beforehand, from prae- + sentire to feel — more at sense

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More Definitions for presentiment

presentiment

noun
How to pronounce presentiment (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of presentiment

formal : a feeling or belief that something is going to happen

See the full definition for presentiment in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on presentiment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for presentiment

Spanish Central: Translation of presentiment

Nglish: Translation of presentiment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of presentiment for Arabic Speakers

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