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auspicious

adjective
aus·​pi·​cious | \ ȯ-ˈspi-shÉ™s How to pronounce auspicious (audio) \

Definition of auspicious

1 : showing or suggesting that future success is likely : propitious made an auspicious beginning Such an auspicious start might have brought only honor and further triumph, but a witches' brew of scientific contentiousness, the temper of the times, and quirks in Dubois's own psyche soon derailed any pleasant development and turned Dubois's bounty into bitterness.— Stephen Jay Gould
2 : attended by good auspices : fortunate, prosperous an auspicious year … a festival that takes place during the hottest months of spring, just before the monsoon rains, and that is considered an auspicious time for weddings.— Cynthia Gorney In days of old, seers entered a trance state and then informed anxious seekers what kind of mood the gods were in, and whether this was an auspicious time to begin a journey, get married, or start a war.— Harvey Cox
Other Words from auspicious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Origin of Auspicious Is for the Birds More Example Sentences Learn More about auspicious

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Other Words from auspicious

auspiciously adverb
auspiciousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for auspicious

favorable, auspicious, propitious mean pointing toward a happy outcome. favorable implies that the persons involved are approving or helpful or that the circumstances are advantageous. favorable weather conditions auspicious applies to something taken as a sign or omen promising success before or at the start of an event. an auspicious beginning propitious may also apply to beginnings but often implies a continuing favorable condition. a propitious time for starting a business

The Origin of Auspicious Is for the Birds

Auspicious comes from Latin auspex, which literally means "bird seer" (from the words avis, meaning "bird," and specere, meaning "to look at"). In ancient Rome, these "bird seers" were priests, or augurs, who studied the flight and feeding patterns of birds, then delivered prophecies based on their observations. The right combination of bird behavior indicated favorable conditions, but the wrong patterns spelled trouble. The English noun auspice, which originally referred to this practice of observing birds to discover omens, also comes from Latin auspex. Today, the plural form auspices is often used with the meaning "kindly patronage and guidance."

Examples of auspicious in a Sentence

After his auspicious debut, Chambers became sought after by serious collectors of folk art; but given that the present show is now only the second he has had and is the first retrospective look at him, he is probably as obscure to the general museum going public today as he was in 1942. — Sanford Schwartz, New York Review of Books, 15 Jan. 2009 There is, first of all, Marconi himself, the 21-year-old prodigy who burst on London with his gizmo in 1896. This wasn't the most auspicious moment for a half-Irish, half-Italian unknown to announce that he had bested some of the empire's greatest scientific minds. — Kevin Baker, New York Times Book Review, 5 Nov. 2006 Indeed, it hardly seems like an auspicious time to introduce a brand of cigarettes, especially for tiny Star, which accounts for just over 1 percent of the U.S. market with its four brands of discount smokes. — David Noonan, Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2000 His acclaimed first novel was an auspicious debut. told him she couldn't dance with him just then, but her auspicious smile encouraged him to ask again later
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Student council president Miyuki is from a less auspicious family but is one of the most popular students at school. — Michael Moore, The Verge, "The Best Anime of 2019: an ongoing list," 16 Aug. 2019 Complementing — and balancing — the menu’s focus on meat are veggies of auspicious freshness and color. — Rand Richards Cooper, courant.com, "Review: Regal dining at Feng Chophouse in Hartford (but for a king’s ransom)," 8 Aug. 2019 For some people, the most auspicious way to start a new month is by uttering those words. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "Rabbit rabbit! Why people say this good-luck phrase at the beginning of the month," 1 July 2019 Even so, the current moment is perhaps the most auspicious one in decades for reining in partisan gerrymandering. — Quanta Magazine, "How to Quantify (and Fight) Gerrymandering," 4 Apr. 2017 The more interesting Pelicans storyline ended up being auspicious play from Williamson’s fellow rookies Jaxson Hayes (No. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "Top 10 Rookie Takeaways From NBA Summer League," 16 July 2019 Last week, Zion Williamson, turning himself out for the occasion of his selection, by the New Orleans Pelicans, as the top pick in the N.B.A. draft, made an auspicious professional début as a man of style. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "The Evolution of N.B.A.-Draft Fashion," 26 June 2019 This timing was auspicious; traditionally, governors issue pardons and commutations on their way out of office, when the political price of an unpopular decision is lowest. — Matthew Van Meter, The New Republic, "The Judge and the Three-Strikes Convict," 17 June 2019 Even though the birth of an albino animal is considered a sacred or auspicious event in some cultures, research suggests that some albino animals have difficulty in the wild. — National Geographic, "What is albinism?," 6 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auspicious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of auspicious

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for auspicious

see auspice

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More Definitions for auspicious

auspicious

adjective
How to pronounce auspicious (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of auspicious

formal : showing or suggesting that future success is likely

See the full definition for auspicious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

auspicious

adjective
aus·​pi·​cious | \ ȯ-ˈspi-shÉ™s

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