portentous

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pɔː(ɹ)ˈtɛntəs/ See IPA manual

Freq #90058

Meanings

1

adj
of momentous or ominous significance

Such a portentous...monster raised all my curiosity- Herman Melville.
2

adj
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.
3

adj
puffed up with vanity
4

adj
ominously prophetic

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · of momentous or ominous... prodigious

2 adj · of momentous or ominous... big central consequential critical crucialepochfulessential extraordinary

3 adj · puffed up with vanity overblown

4 adj · ominously prophetic fateful

More prophetic significant

Opposites

humble insignificant trivial unremarkable

Word family

Forms portentously

Derived forms portentouslyportentousnessunportentous

Related forms augury foreboding ominous portent pretentious

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

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# portentous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /pɔː(ɹ)ˈtɛntəs/
**Frequency rank:** 90058

## Meanings
1. of momentous or ominous significance
2. Of momentous or ominous significance.
3. puffed up with vanity
4. ominously prophetic

## Examples
- Such a portentous...monster raised all my curiosity- Herman Melville.
- 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.

## Synonyms
- fateful
- prophetic
- significant

## Antonyms
- humble
- insignificant
- trivial
- unremarkable

## Derived Forms
- portentously
- portentousness
- unportentous

## Related Forms
- augury
- foreboding
- ominous
- portent
- pretentious

## 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

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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