What does premonition mean?
A premonition is an intuitive sense that something is about to happen, often before there is any obvious evidence. It may be vague and emotional, like a feeling of impending disaster, or it may be a more specific impression of an approaching event. The word differs from a prediction because it describes a present feeling rather than a reasoned statement about the future. Premonitions commonly appear in stories and conversations about warning signs, intuition, superstition, and foreboding. They can also describe a general sense that an important event is imminent. Although the term often has a mysterious or literary tone, it can be used lightly for ordinary anticipations, especially when the anticipated event is unwelcome. Its Latin roots connect it to the idea of being warned beforehand.
A present intuition or feeling that a particular event is about to happen.
"He experienced a premonition of danger before entering the old house."
Often implies a vague, uneasy, or prophetic feeling.
An advance indication or omen that something is approaching.
"The unusual silence was a premonition of the storm."
Used for individual feelings or impressions that something is about to happen.
"Her premonitions proved more reliable than the official forecasts."
A premonition is the mind's quiet warning that arrives before events have supplied any hard evidence.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does premonition come from?
The word comes from Latin praemonitio, meaning “a warning beforehand.” This was formed from prae-, meaning “before,” and monere, meaning “to warn” or “to remind.” English developed the word in the late 16th century, initially in the sense of an advance warning or omen. Related English words include premonitory, premonitor, monition, and admonition, all belonging to the same wider Latin family associated with warning and reminding.
Related word forms
How premonition is actually used
The word often conveys a serious or uneasy sense of foreboding, but it can also describe less dramatic anticipation. It is commonly used in literary, formal, and reflective contexts.
Easily confused with premonition
A prediction is a statement about what will happen, whereas a premonition is a present feeling that something will happen without necessarily being able to explain why.