harbinger

Advancedzipf 2.91

Pronunciation

/ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/(HAR-bin-juh)

Part of speech

nounformal

Chinese

预兆；先兆；先驱

Definition

A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of something.

Word family

  • (no major derivatives)

Collocations

  • harbinger of doom
  • harbinger of spring
  • harbinger of change
  • a harbinger of things to come

Examples

  1. 1.The first robin is often seen as a harbinger of spring. (signal of arrival)
  2. 2.Rising unemployment is a harbinger of deeper economic trouble. (warning sign)

Synonyms

  • omen/ˈəʊmən/— sign of future events
  • precursor/prɪˈkɜːsə/— something that comes before
  • herald/ˈhɛrəld/— one who announces

Etymology

from Old French "herbergeor" = one who provides lodging — originally a person sent ahead to arrange accommodation for an army