Etymology: < Middle French presage (French présage ) indication or foreshadowing of a future event (1378 or earlier), conjecture about a future event made on the basis of such an omen (1512) and its etymon classical Latin praesāgium sense of foreboding, forewarning, portent < praesāgīre to have a foreboding of, to forebode, portend < prae- pre- prefix + sāgīre to perceive keenly or acutely (see sagacious adj.); compare praesāgus having a foreboding, portending, ominous. Compare Spanish presagio (late 14th cent. or earlier), Portuguese presságio (late 16th cent. as †presagio; also preságio), Italian presagio (1374). N.E.D. (1908) also gives as a British pronunciation (prī·sĕdʒ) /ˈpriːsədʒ/, recorded in a number of 19th-cent. British dictionaries, and as a former pronunciation (prĭsēⁱ·dʒ) /prɪˈseɪdʒ/, which appears to be otherwise recorded in 19th-cent. dictionaries only for the verb.

Etymology: < presage n., probably after Middle French presager, French présager to foretell, predict (the future) (1569), Middle French, French †presagier to make a prediction or forecast (1539), to be a supernatural sign of (a future event) (1539), †presagir to foretell, predict (the future) (a1589) or classical Latin praesāgīre (see presage n.). Compare also Spanish presagiar (first half of the 15th cent. or earlier), Italian presagire to have a presentiment of (a future event) (1547). N.E.D. (1908) gives the pronunciation as (prĭsēⁱ·dʒ) /prɪˈseɪdʒ/. This pronunciation was normal until the early 20th cent.