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 WebGame 2 made up for it, and portends high drama the rest of the way..—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024 Elections often portend more violence directed at journalists, Reporters Without Borders warns.—Justine Calma, The Verge, 3 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for portend
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'portend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin portendere, from por- forward (akin to per through) + tendere to stretch — more at for, thin
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