bodement: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very Rare (Archaic/Literary)
UK/ˈbəʊdmənt/US/ˈboʊdmənt/

Poetic, Literary, Archaic. Not used in contemporary everyday speech.

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “bodement” mean?

A prediction or portent of future events, usually ominous.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A prediction or portent of future events, usually ominous; a prophecy or foreboding.

Can refer to a symbolic omen or sign that foreshadows what is to come; archaic use leans towards a prophetic message or warning.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant modern regional difference, as the word is obsolete in both varieties. May appear slightly more in historical British texts.

Connotations

Carries a weighty, formal, and old-fashioned connotation.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in both corpora. Found primarily in poetry or historical fiction.

Grammar

How to Use “bodement” in a Sentence

[Subject] serves as a bodement of [Event]To take [Event] as a bodementThe [Sign] was a grim bodement.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
dark bodementill bodementgrim bodementstrange bodementprophetic bodement
medium
a bodement offilled with bodementuttered a bodement
weak
ancient bodementsilent bodementmysterious bodement

Examples

Examples of “bodement” in a Sentence

noun

British English

  • The raven's cry was taken as a dire bodement.
  • She spoke her bodement with a trembling voice.

American English

  • The sudden chill in the air felt like a bodement of winter's early arrival.
  • He dismissed the old sailor's grim bodement as superstition.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not used.

Academic

Rarely used, only in literary analysis or historical linguistics.

Everyday

Not used.

Technical

Not used.

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “bodement”

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “bodement”

  • Misspelling as 'boadment' or 'bodment'.
  • Using it in modern, informal contexts.
  • Confusing it with 'abodement' (an even rarer variant).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is considered an archaic or literary word. You will encounter it in older texts (Shakespeare, 19th-century poetry) or in modern works trying to evoke a historical/formal tone.

'Prediction' is neutral and modern. 'Bodement' is archaic and almost always carries a sense of ominous foreboding or mystical significance.

No. The related verb is 'to bode' (as in 'it bodes well'). 'Bodement' is solely a noun.

It is exclusively a noun.

A prediction or portent of future events, usually ominous.

Bodement is usually poetic, literary, archaic. not used in contemporary everyday speech. in register.

Bodement: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbəʊdmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊdmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • None specific to this word.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'BODE' (to portend) + 'MENT' (result/state) = the result of boding, a prophecy.

Conceptual Metaphor

THE FUTURE IS A MESSAGE (that can be delivered or read).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The owl's call in the dead of night was interpreted by the villagers as a grim of misfortune to come.
Multiple Choice

In which context would the word 'bodement' be MOST appropriately used?