Presentiment

Noun

Definition: An anticipatory feeling or foreboding about something that is going to happen, often without any specific reason or evidence.

Synonyms: Premonition, Intuition, Hunch, Foreboding, Apprehension

Antonyms: Assurance, Certainty, Confidence

Examples:

She had a presentiment that something bad was going to happen.
His presentiment about the outcome of the game later turned out to be accurate.

Mnemonics:

"Presentiment" starts with "pre-", which means before, indicating a feeling or intuition before something happens.
Think of it as a 'premonition' or an intuitive 'pre-sense' of something.

Etymology:

Origin:

Latin "praesentire" meaning "to have a foreboding or intuition"

Historical Usage:

The word "presentiment" originated in the late 18th century and has been used consistently since then to refer to a sense of foreboding about the future.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"A presentiment of doom"

Explanation:

This phrase implies a strong feeling or intuition that a disaster or catastrophe is imminent.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Confusing "presentiment" with "premonition".

Explanation:

While "presentiment" and "premonition" have similar meanings, a "premonition" often involves a sense of warning or a specific vision of the future, while a "presentiment" is more of a general feeling or intuition without specific details.