auspicious
Americanadjective
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promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable.
an auspicious occasion.
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favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.
adjective
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favourable or propitious
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archaic prosperous or fortunate
Usage
The use of auspicious to mean `very special' (as in this auspicious occasion ) should be avoided
Other Word Forms
- auspiciously adverb
- auspiciousness noun
- unauspicious adjective
- unauspiciously adverb
Etymology
Origin of auspicious
First recorded in 1600–10; equivalent to Latin auspici(um) auspice + -ous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It contains the words for horse and fortune, ringing especially auspicious for the upcoming Year of the Horse.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
Most of 2024 fell in the Year of the Dragon, which is seen as an auspicious one for marriage and births in Chinese culture.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026
Payesh is commonly enjoyed during several auspicious occasions: birthdays, weddings, religious festivals and baby showers.
From Salon • Jan. 10, 2026
“Marty Supreme” is landing at an auspicious time for the craft of casting, which will be recognized at the Academy Awards for the first time in 2026 with a new category.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
“What is the meaning of your auspicious visit, Madame President?”
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
