Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “portentive” come from?

portentive (English) comes from English portent, from Latin portentum, from Latin portendo, from Latin por-, from Proto-Italic por-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

portentive (English): portentous; presaging or foreshadowing

Definitions

  1. portentous; presaging or foreshadowing

Ancestry of “portentive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishportentSomething that portends an event about to occur,...
2Latinportentumnominative neuter singular of portentus;...
3LatinportendoI indicate, point out; I predict, foretell,...
4Latinpor-forth, forward, further, onward
5Proto-Italicpor-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →