ominous C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes US /ˈɑmənəs/ UK /ˈɒmɪnəs/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj giving the impression that something bad is about to happen; threatening Ominous clouds gathered over the harbour before the gale. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · giving the impression that... threateningmenacingforebodingportentoussinisterbalefulinauspiciousunpropitious ↔ Opposites auspiciouspromisingfavorablepropitiousencouraging Word family Forms ominously Derived forms ominouslyominousness Related forms omenabominate Etymology AI details From Latin 'ominosus' ('full of foreboding'), from 'omen' (genitive 'ominis', 'a portent'), plus the adjectival suffix '-osus'. ominosus Latin omen Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # ominous **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈɑmənəs/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈɒmɪnəs/ ## Meanings 1. giving the impression that something bad is about to happen; threatening ## Examples - Ominous clouds gathered over the harbour before the gale. ## Synonyms - threatening - menacing - foreboding - portentous - sinister - baleful - inauspicious - unpropitious ## Antonyms - auspicious - promising - favorable - propitious - encouraging ## Derived Forms - ominously - ominousness ## Related Forms - omen - abominate ## Roots and Affixes - Root: ominosus - Root: omen ## Etymology From Latin 'ominosus' ('full of foreboding'), from 'omen' (genitive 'ominis', 'a portent'), plus the adjectival suffix '-osus'. ## AI Etymology Ominous comes from Latin 'ominosus' ('full of foreboding'), from 'omen' (genitive 'ominis', 'a portent'), plus the adjectival suffix '-osus'. The etymological trail includes Latin ominosus and Latin omen. As an adjective, ominous means giving the impression that something bad is about to happen; threatening. The same family is visible in derived forms such as ominously and ominousness and related forms such as omen and abominate. ## Topics - Actions & Processes - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown