English Explanatory Dictionary

ominous

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Of or pertaining to an omen or to omens; being or exhibiting an omen; significant.
  2. Specifically, giving indication of a coming ill; being an evil omen

Pronunciation

/ˈɒmɪnəs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-ominous.wav /ˈɑmɪnəs/ /ˈɔmɪnəs/ /ˈɒmənəs/ [ˈɔ̟mənəs]

Word forms

ominous more ominous most ominous

Etymology

From Latin ōminōsus (“full of foreboding”), from ōmen (“forbidden fruit, omen”), from Old Latin osmen, of uncertain origin, with many origins proposed (see ōmen).

Synonyms

augurous baleful bodeful boding dire disastrous divine fatal foreboding ill-boding ill-fated ill-omened ill-starred inauspicate inauspicious nefastous omenic ominous brooding portentous presageful presagious prodigious sinister star-crossed sullen momentous big central consequential critical crucial epochful essential extraordinary fateful fatefraught fatesome heavy pivotal high on the totem pole historic innegligible key life-or-death meaningful necessary noted noticeable observable outstanding paramount pertinent relevant remarkable salient significant unignorable valuable vital

Antonyms

auspicious omenless unomened

Related words

omen abomination

Derived words

ominosity ominously ominousness unominous
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