auspicious

[ aw-spish-uhs ]

adjective

1. promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable:

   an auspicious occasion.

2. favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.

auspicious

/ ɔːˈspɪʃəs /

adjective

1. favourable or propitious
2. archaic.
   prosperous or fortunate

Usage

The use of auspicious to mean `very special' (as in this auspicious occasion ) should be avoided

Derived Forms

• ausˈpiciously, adverb
• ausˈpiciousness, noun

Other Words From

• aus·picious·ly adverb
• aus·picious·ness noun
• unaus·picious adjective
• unaus·picious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of auspicious¹

First recorded in 1600–10; equivalent to Latin auspici(um) auspice + -ous

Example Sentences

The day that Bezos’ Washington Post announced that it would not endorse either presidential candidate, Trump met with the CEO of Blue Origin in what seemed, if superficially, to be an auspicious sign for the company’s destiny in a Trump administration.

From Los Angeles Times

Regardless of Ohtani’s status — he left the stadium shortly after the game without speaking to reporters — the Dodgers’ position in this World Series is nonetheless auspicious.

From Los Angeles Times

If anyone forgot the auspicious date, the former PM popped up with a specially crafted video to say that the Kwarteng/Truss fiscal plans should have been implemented in full.

From BBC

And then there’s Alaska and Iowa, the odd couple of recent state-level polling that is auspicious for Democrats.

From Slate

And most of all, they have Yamamoto, who backed up his big return from injury with an equally auspicious, if not equally dominant, second act.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advantageous
• felicitous
• opportune
• promising
• propitious