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foretoken. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
foretoken, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
foretoken in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
foretoken you have here. The definition of the word
foretoken will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
foretoken, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English foretokne, fortacne, from Old English foretācn, foretācen (“foretoken, presage, prognostic, prodigy, sign, wonder”), equivalent to fore- + token. Cognate with Dutch voorteken, German Low German Vörteken, German Vorzeichen.
Noun
foretoken (plural foretokens)
- A prognostic; a premonitory sign; warning or presentiment.
1590, Philip Sidney, The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, Book II, ch. 10:Therefore know you Gentlemen (to whom from my harte I wish that it may not proue ominous foretoke[n] of misfortune to haue mette with such a miser as I am) that whatsoeuer my sonne (ô God, that trueth binds me to reproch him with the name of my sonne) hath said, is true.
Translations
a premonitory sign; warning or presentiment
Etymology 2
From Middle English *foretoknen, fortaknen, from Old English foretācnian (“to foreshow”).
Verb
foretoken (third-person singular simple present foretokens, present participle foretokening, simple past and past participle foretokened)
- (transitive) To betoken beforehand; prognosticate; foreshadow; give warning of; presage.
Derived terms