presentiment

[ pri-zen-tuh-muhnt ]

noun

1. a feeling or impression that something is about to happen, especially something evil; foreboding.

presentiment

/ prɪˈzɛntɪmənt /

noun

1. a sense of something about to happen; premonition

Other Words From

• pre·senti·mental adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of presentiment¹

1705–15; < French, now obsolete spelling of pressentiment. See pre-, sentiment

Word History and Origins

Origin of presentiment¹

C18: from obsolete French, from pressentir to sense beforehand; see pre- , sentiment

Example Sentences

By late 2016, the seeming permanence of her move is threatened by apocalyptic presentiments unleashed by election anxiety.

From Los Angeles Times

Mrs. Hubble shook her head, and contemplating me with a mournful presentiment that I should come to no good, asked, “Why is it that the young are never grateful?”

From Literature

I never laughed at presentiments in my life, because I have had strange ones of my own.

From Literature

Writing later of the bizarre extravaganza that took place that summer, de Coubertin said: “I had a sort of presentiment that the Olympiad would match the mediocrity of the town.”

From Seattle Times

In ethos and in substance, Sessions had long harbored the presentiments of Trumpism.

From New York Times