omen
n. countable C1 Advanced US //ˈoʊmən// UK //ˈəʊmɛn// omen
n. a sign or event that people believe shows what will happen in the future. It can be a good sign or a bad sign.
n. an event or phenomenon regarded as a portent of good or evil. Often modified by adjectives such as 'good', 'bad', 'ill', or 'dark' to specify the nature of the prediction.
The dark clouds were a bad omen for the picnic.
Ancient sailors often viewed the appearance of certain birds as a favorable omen for a safe journey.
While some dismissed the sudden market dip as a statistical anomaly, others interpreted it as a dark omen of the impending financial crisis that would soon grip the nation.
From Latin ōmen (“foreboding, omen”).
Usage
Commonly paired with 'of' to describe what the sign predicts (e.g., 'an omen of war').