harbinger
UK[ˈhɑːbɪndʒə]US[ˈhɑːrbɪndʒər]
n
a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
n
a forerunner of something.
Etymology
the word 'harbinger' originates from the middle english 'herbergere', meaning an innkeeper or one who provides lodging, which itself came from the old french 'herbergeor'. this french term derives from 'herberge', meaning 'lodging' or 'inn', a word of germanic origin, likely related to 'haribairgo', a compound meaning 'army shelter'. the semantic shift from 'one who provides lodging' to 'a forerunner who secures lodgings for an army or a royal party' occurred in the late middle ages. this function of preparing the way led to the modern abstract sense of anything that precedes and announces the arrival of a significant person or event.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form in modern english. it entered the language as a whole unit from old french.
Examples
the first robin is often seen as a harbinger of spring.
the sudden drop in share prices was a harbinger of the economic crisis to come.
dark clouds are a harbinger of the approaching storm.