harbinger

1 of 2

noun

har·​bin·​ger ˈhär-bən-jər 

1

a

: something that foreshadows a future event : something that gives an anticipatory sign of what is to come

robins, crocuses, and other harbingers of spring

b

: one that initiates a major change : a person or thing that originates or helps open up a new activity, method, or technology : pioneer

the great legal harbinger of the New Deal revolution

—Time

a harbinger of nanotechnology

the harbingers of peace to a hitherto distracted … people

—David Livingstone

2

archaic : a person sent ahead to provide lodgings

harbinger

2 of 2

verb

harbingered; harbingering; harbingers

transitive verb

: to give a warning or prediction of : to be a harbinger (see harbinger entry 1) of

harbingered the fall of Rome

Did you know?

In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring, four hobbits—pursued by riders in black—seek safe harbor in the village of Bree. Unbeknownst to the hobbits, the innkeeper of The Prancing Pony, Butterbur, was made aware of their potential arrival by the wizard Gandalf some months prior (“... I was asked to look out for hobbits of the Shire ...”). When you consider the oldest, now-obsolete definitions of harbinger, there are multiple harbingers in this section of the tale. The first is Butterbur himself: coming from the Anglo-French herberge, meaning “lodgings,” harbinger was used as long ago as the 12th century to mean “one who provides lodgings.” Later on, harbinger was also used for a person sent ahead of a main party to seek lodgings. Those sent ahead would announce the approach of those following behind (the hobbits did not send Gandalf to Bree, but he did still herald their eventual arrival—making him a harbinger of sorts), which is how our modern sense of harbinger came to be used for someone or something which foretells a future event—such as how the hobbits’ arrival is a harbinger of the evil pursuing them and threatening all of Middle Earth.

Synonyms

Noun

• angel
• foregoer
• forerunner
• herald
• outrider
• precursor

Verb

• adumbrate
• forerun
• foreshadow
• herald
• prefigure

Choose the Right Synonym for harbinger

forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another.

forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season

the herald of a new age in medicine

Examples of harbinger in a Sentence

Noun

her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come

Verb

the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The September celebration brings together the community for live music, food, drink, and distinctly Florida games (like the mullet toss), as a harbinger to a fruitful and safe stone crab season. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2024

Alpe du Grand Serre’s closure will serve as a bleak harbinger to numerous other mid-size alpine ski stations also struggling to cope with declining snowfalls, and adds to a growing list of resort closures. —Joseph Ataman, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024

Every scandal, gaffe, and tragedy seems to take on a new political significance—as a harbinger of a potential electoral outcome or an indicator of societal unraveling. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2024

And their story is a harbinger for companies outside the auto sector, too. —Justin Worland / Detroit, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English herbergere, herberjour, herbeger, harbenyowre "member of a noble or royal retinue who assigns lodgings to guests or rides ahead to prepare an encampment, host, innkeeper," borrowed from Anglo-French herberger, herberjur (continental Old French herbergeor), from herberger "to lodge, shelter, encamp" (continental Old French herbergier, borrowed from Old Low Franconian *haribergōn, going back to Germanic *haribergōjan- "to set up quarters for an army") + -er, -eor -er entry 2 — more at harbor entry 2

Note: The form harbinger with lowering of e to a in the initial syllable and intrusive -n- (compare messenger, passenger), rare in late Middle English, became the general form by the seventeenth century.

Verb

derivative of harbinger entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1646, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

harbinger

noun

har·​bin·​ger

ˈhär-bən-jər

1

: one that announces or shows what is coming : forerunner

warm rains that come as harbingers of spring

2

: one that initiates a major change

harbinger verb