omen
UK[ˈəʊmən]US[ˈoʊmən]
n
An event or object believed to be a sign of future good or bad luck.
Etymology
The word 'omen' entered English in the late 16th century directly from Latin, where 'ōmen' meant a prophetic sign or portent. The Latin term is of uncertain ultimate origin, though it may be connected to the verb 'audīre' (to hear), suggesting an omen was something heard or announced. The core concept has remained remarkably stable: an observable phenomenon interpreted as a forewarning of a future event, typically of significant fortune or misfortune.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English form.
Examples
The sudden storm was seen as a bad omen for the voyage.
She believed finding a four-leaf clover was a good omen.
The strange silence in the forest felt like an omen of danger.