auspicious

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From auspice +‎ -ious, from Latin auspicium (augury), from auspex (augur), possibly via French.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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auspicious (comparative more auspicious, superlative most auspicious)

  1. Of good omen; indicating future success.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. [], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, [], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 130:
      It was a boast of Napoleon, that the very weather owned the influence of his auspicious star—his triumphal entry, his procession, or his fête, were always marked by sunshine.
    • 2013, James Arena, First Ladies of Disco - 32 Stars Discuss the Era and Their Singing Careers, page 232:
      Backed by the Salsoul Orchestra, Carol's auspicious single debut, "More," was one of the very first commercially-available 12" singles and was a smash, reaching the upper regions of the disco charts in 1976.
    • 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 5:34 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?[1], archived from the original on 3 November 2022:
      Losing nearly a third of the heavy cruisers, including Admiral Kurita's flagship, the Atago, was not an especially-auspicious start to the operation, especially with the admiral himself having to be fished out of the water by a destroyer.
  2. Conducive to success.
    Synonyms: favourable, favorable, promising, propitious, fortunate, lucky
    This is an auspicious day.
  3. Marked by success; prosperous.
    Synonyms: lucky, fortunate
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 153, column 2, lines 8–14:
      Therefore our ſometimes Siſter, novv our Queen, / Th’ imperiall Ioyntreſſe of this vvarlike State, / Haue vve, as ’tvvere, vvith a defeated ioy, / VVith one Auſpicious, and one Dropping eye, / VVith mirth in Funerall, and vvith Dirge in Marriage, / In equall Scale vveighing Delight and Dole / Taken to VVife []
    • 1730 May 5 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Henry Fielding, Tom Thumb. A Tragedy. [], London: [] J. Roberts [], published 1730, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:
      Sure, ſuch a Day as this vvas never ſeen! / The Sun himſelf, on this auſpicious Day, / Shines like a Beau in a nevv Birth-Day Suit: []

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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