harbinger
Plural: harbingers
Noun
- something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
- A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.
- One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.
Verb
- foreshadow or presage
- To announce or precede; to be a harbinger of.
Examples
- harbinger of danger; harbinger of doom; harbinger of spring
Origin / Etymology
Originally, a person that is sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herberjour, herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from herbergier (“to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns), from Old High German heribergan, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu (“army camp, shelter”). Compare German Herberge, Italian albergo, Dutch herberg, English harbor. More at here, borrow.
Synonyms
announce, annunciate, forerunner, foretell, herald, precursor, predecessor, forewarning, omen, premonition, prophet, sign, signal
Scrabble Score: 15
harbinger: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordharbinger: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
harbinger: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary