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It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.
Examples of portend in a Sentence
Bryan West, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Share [Findings] The birth of a white buffalo fulfilled a Lakota prophecy portending better times.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Yet that’s not a perfect indicator either, as the survey in February 2024 showed the highest allocation to stocks since November 2021, only to portend last year’s big equity surge.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2025
All of this would seem to portend momentum for tech, particularly fast-growing sectors in Web3, in the new year.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portend 
Dictionary Entries Near portend
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portend. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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portend
verb
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