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

The current political season, dense with incident and overcast with grim premonitions, feels more difficult than usual to take in at just a glance. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

After watching tape of the Toreros defense during the week, Adebayo had what amounted to a premonition. —Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2024

The supermarket gave him a premonition of something sinister to come. —Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024

Despite such premonitions, governments dragged their feet in reacting to COVID-19. —Jennifer Nuzzo, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020

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