Portentous
/pɔː(ɹ)ˈtɛntəs/ adj
adj ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Of momentous or ominous significance.
"Well may it sort [be fitting] that this portentous figure comes armed through our watch, so like the King that was and is the question of these wars."
- 2 Ominously prophetic.
- 3 Puffed up with vanity.
Adjective
- 1 puffed up with vanity wordnet
- 2 ominously prophetic wordnet
- 3 of momentous or ominous significance wordnet
Example
More examples"Of late, this portentous mansion has begun to give signs of dilapidation and decay."
Etymology
Of multiple origins: * Borrowed from Latin portentōsus, from portentus (“predicted”) + -ōsus. Compare earlier portentuous (via Middle English from Latin portentuōsus). By surface analysis, portent + -ous. * Borrowed from French portentueux