portend

verb

por·​tend pȯr-ˈtend 

portended; portending; portends

transitive verb

1

: to give an omen or anticipatory sign of

2

: indicate, signify

Did you know?

It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.

Examples of portend in a Sentence

The distant thunder portended a storm.

If you're superstitious, a black cat portends trouble.

Recent Examples on the Web

The declining number of Black male Democratic voters, like the Party’s diminishing appeal to Latino and working-class white voters, may portend an ongoing realignment. —Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024

Previously, the chair of Evercore ISI and head of the firm’s economic research team had been looking for real gross domestic product to slip by 2% in the fourth quarter, something that could have portended a broader contraction. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2024

The company also took a nearly $6 billion write-down on the value of its cable networks, which portends further contraction. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024

But twenty-four hours later, after investors assessed that the half-point cut probably didn’t portend the start of a recession, major indexes rallied to close at record highs. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin portendere, from por- forward (akin to per through) + tendere to stretch — more at for, thin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

portend

verb

por·​tend pȯr-ˈtend 

pōr-

: to give a sign or warning of beforehand