augury

[ aw-gyuh-ree ]

noun

, plural au·gu·ries.

1. the art or practice of an augur; divination.
2. the rite or ceremony of an augur.
3. an omen, token, or indication.

augury

/ ˈɔːɡjʊrɪ /

noun

1. the art of or a rite conducted by an augur
2. a sign or portent; omen

Other Words From

• augu·ral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of augury¹

1325–75; Middle English < Latin augurium soothsaying, equivalent to augur augur ¹ + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

“My life and myself were born under the sea,” she wrote, under the augury of “the star of Aphrodite.”

From Los Angeles Times

“We have a city founded by the auspices and augury,” the Roman historian Livy wrote.

From New York Times

Remarkably, Kushner’s augury of a world coming apart holds true three decades later, including his prognostications about the dangers of climate change and the radical partisanship of the judiciary.

From Washington Post

The original Hammer, in a weird augury of the recently unveiled Orange County Museum of Art’s new facility, opened to the public before the building was finished.

From Los Angeles Times

The film comes to us under equally fine auguries — and auspices.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Augury

What does augury mean?

Augury is the practice of auguring—attempting to predict the future based on interpreting omens or in some other mystical way.

The word augur can also be used as a noun to refer to a kind of prophet, oracle, or soothsayer—a person who is said to be able to predict the future by using some mystical ability or means. Augury can refer to the practice of such an augur or to a specific ceremony or rite used by an augur.

Augur can also be used in a more specific way to refer to an Ancient Roman official who acted as soothsayer or priest. Such augurs were responsible for augury that involved interpreting omens to guide decisions. Roman lawmakers would consult augurs before officially taking a position.

Augury can also be used to refer to an omen, sign, or indication of something, as in Red skies in the morning are known to sailors as an augury of bad weather.

Example: Regardless of what form of augury they claim to use, no one can truly predict the future.

Where does augury come from?

The first records of the word augury come from the 1300s. It comes from the Latin augurium, meaning “soothsaying.” It ultimately derives from the Latin verb augēre, “to increase” or “to augment” (with the implication of making something prosper). The English words augment and inaugurate are based on the same root. Inaugurate means “to formally induct someone into public office” and its origin alludes to the Roman practice of politicians consulting augurs.

The Ancient Roman augurs were highly respected religious officials. They were consulted prior to major events such as wars, the founding of colonies, and the induction (inauguration) of political officials. Much of their augury was based on interpreting the flight patterns of birds. Another word for this kind of augur is auspex. The related word auspice means “a favorable sign” or “a divination or prognostication, such as from observing birds.”

Even when augury is used in a general way referring to an indication of something that will happen, it’s associated with the mysticism of its more specific uses that involve attempts to actually predict the future.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to augury?

• augural (adjective)
• augur (noun, verb)

What are some synonyms for augury?

• prognostication
• divination
• soothsaying
• omen
• indication
• sign

What are some words that share a root or word element with augury?

• augur well for
• inaugurate
• augment
• august

What are some words that often get used in discussing augury?

• predict
• future
• auspice
• auspex
• bode
• weather
• prophecy
• fortune

How is augury used in real life?

Even when augury is used in a general way, it often calls to mind its more specific senses involving mystical ways of predicting the future.

Forecasting into 3030 would make you a prophet, not a meteorologist. But you'd still have to practice augury no matter which career path you choose. 😉

— Jonny Appleseed ≤🆒 (@J_Dubya80) May 12, 2020

A robin is flying around the chamber of the House of Commons. What strange augury is this?

— Alex Burghart (@alexburghart) January 31, 2018

My laptop screen randomly broke and nothing has been going right since then. Was this some kind of an augury of bad times starting?

— Mashal Rafiq (@mash_rafiq) February 21, 2020

 

Try using augury!

Which of the following words can be used as a synonym of augury?

A. divination
B. soothsaying
C. prognostication
D. all of the above