premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈni-shən  ˌpre- 

1

: previous notice or warning : forewarning

2

: anticipation of an event without conscious reason : presentiment

Synonyms

• foreboding
• presage
• presentiment
• prognostication

Examples of premonition in a Sentence

She had a premonition that he would call.

she had a premonition that her cat would somehow get hurt that day

Recent Examples on the Web

That premonition rings true when his parents (Tara Buckman, Geoff Hansen) are slaughtered by a carjacker dressed as Old Saint Nick himself (Charles Dierkop) just hours later, condemning the toddler into further moral compass trauma at an orphanage run by a domineering Mother Superior nun from Hell. —Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024

The boy tries to warn his family about his nocturnal premonitions, but when nobody takes him seriously, the boy must face the beast on his own. —John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024

Ellen has been suffering from demonic premonitions since childhood and believes there is a gruesome fate awaiting her betrothed. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2024

Before the game, Selton Miguel and his teammates seemingly had a premonition about their impending success. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English premunition, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin premunition-, premunitio, alteration of Late Latin praemonitio, from Latin praemonēre to warn in advance, from prae- + monēre to warn — more at mind

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈnish-ən  ˌprem-ə- 

: a feeling that something is going to happen

a premonition of disaster

premonitory

pri-ˈmän-ə-ˌtōr-ē

-ˌtȯr-

adjective