presentimiento
Lemma Details
Translation: premonition; foreboding; hunch; intuition; presentiment
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From the Spanish verb 'presentir' (to have a premonition), which comes from Latin 'praesentire', a combination of 'prae-' (before) and 'sentire' (to feel). The English cognate 'presentiment' shares the same Latin roots, both referring to a feeling or sense about something before it happens. The '-miento' suffix in Spanish forms nouns from verbs, similar to the English '-ment'.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'pre-sentiment' - a feeling that comes before an event
- Break it down: 'pre' (before) + 'sentimiento' (feeling) = feeling something before it happens
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, presentimientos are often taken seriously and can be part of decision-making processes. There's a cultural tendency to trust intuition and gut feelings, especially among older generations.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'presentimiento' refers specifically to a feeling about something that hasn't happened yet (a premonition), 'sentimiento' is a general term for any feeling or emotion.
Notes: The prefix 'pre-' is the key distinguishing factor between these two related words.
Mnemonic: Remember the 'pre-' in 'presentimiento' means it comes before an event, while 'sentimiento' is the feeling itself without the predictive element.
Explanation: 'Presentimiento' is a premonition or foreboding, while 'resentimiento' means resentment or bitterness.
This word:
Mi presentimiento me dice que debemos ser cautelosos.
My intuition tells me we should be cautious.
Confused word:
Su resentimiento hacia su antiguo jefe era evidente.
His resentment toward his former boss was evident.
Notes: The prefixes make all the difference in meaning despite the similar appearance.
Mnemonic: 'Presentimiento' has 'pre-' (before) + 'sentimiento' (feeling), while 'resentimiento' has 're-' (again) + 'sentimiento' (feeling) - a feeling that keeps coming back.