Word
harbinger
Phoneticshar·bin·ger, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɑɹbɪndʒɝ/
UK/hˈɑːbɪndʒɐ/
Definitions
01a sign of things to come
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a person or thing that shows something else is going to happen soon.
n. a person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something; a precursor.
“The first few yellow leaves are a harbinger of autumn.”
“The sudden drop in consumer spending was seen by economists as a grim harbinger of the coming recession.”
02to signal the arrival
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Formal
v. to be a sign that something is about to start or arrive.
v. to announce the approach of; to act as a precursor to an event or state.
Español:anunciar
“The loud bells harbinger the start of the festival every year.”
“These technological breakthroughs may harbinger a new era of space exploration that was previously thought impossible.”
Real-World Examples
“This summer's heat is a harbinger of the new normal .” “Recent episodes of AI agents escaping test zones and hacking other systems may be a harbinger of what's to come, as some experts believe the systems are fundamentally unpredictable.” Etymology
Originally, a person 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/harbinger
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0