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Harbinger vs Forerunner - What's the difference?

harbinger | forerunner |

As nouns the difference between harbinger and forerunner

is that harbinger is a person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something while forerunner is a runner at the front or ahead.

As a verb harbinger

is to announce; to be a harbinger of.

harbinger

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.
  • * Landor
    • I knew by these harbingers who were coming.
  • (obsolete) One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.
    • (Fuller)

    Synonyms

    * forewarning, herald, omen, premonition, sign, signal, prophet

    External links

    *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To announce; to be a harbinger of.

    • Synonyms

    * herald

    References

    *

    See also

    *bellwether

    forerunner

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a runner at the front or ahead
  • (sport) by extension, a non-competitor who leads out the competitors on to the circuit, or who runs/rides the course prior to competitor trials, usually testing or checking the way.
  • a precursor or harbinger, a warning ahead
  • * '>citation
  • a forebear, an ancestor, a predecessor
  • (philately) a postage stamp used in the time before a region or area issues stamps of its own
  • something that introduces a part of the properties offered by some later thing.
    • Bakelite is a forerunner of today's plastics.