foreshadow

The story

The verb is derived from fore- (prefix meaning ‘before with respect to time, earlier’) + shadow (“to shade, cloud, or darken”, verb). The noun is derived from fore- + shadow (“faint and imperfect representation”, noun), probably modelled after the verb which is attested earlier.

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. To suggest (someone or something) in advance; to prefigure, to presage.