Portentous
[pȯr-ˈten-təs]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin
1.
Relating to a serious matter; ominous
2.
Self-important to the point of pompousness
Examples of Portentous in a sentence
"The portentous skyscraper was impossible to ignore."
"The "Keep Out" sign was a portentous warning."
About Portentous
Portentous has a variety of meanings, but they all relate to a Latin root meaning “foretold.” An ominous event could be foretold, while a child prodigy might be foretelling of a bright future.
Did you Know?
Portentous shares roots with a word that means "foretold," which makes sense considering that one definition relates to the discussion of how a serious matter will turn out.
