Where does “portend” come from?
Portend comes from Latin portendere, combining Latin por- and Latin tendere, which derives from Proto-Indo-European per- and ultimately Latin teneo, meaning to hold.
portend (English): To serve as a warning or omen of; To signify; to...
Definitions
- To serve as a warning or omen of; To signify; to...
Ancestry of “portend”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | portendere | third-person plural perfect active indicative of... |
| 2 | Latin | portendo | I indicate, point out; I predict, foretell,... |
| 3 | Latin | por- | forth, forward, further, onward |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | por- | forth, forward |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |