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

To those in the business, the timing of these trends and the steady uptick in astrological interest feels auspicious.

From Time

I went to France at an auspicious time to be making this private discovery.

From Time

It was fairly auspicious timing, as those things go, falling the same day seven public health departments launched a joint shelter-in-place order in its native California.

From TechCrunch

There were plenty of technical issues at first, leading to a less than auspicious first impression.

From TechCrunch

She takes over the position at an auspicious time for the newspaper.

From Digiday

But even though 2014 is only halfway over, it already seems like an auspicious year for the “other” parent.

From The Daily Beast

The timing is auspicious for such a move with the Tiananmen anniversary fast approaching.

From The Daily Beast

It was an auspicious time for a 21-year-old woman to publicly document her sexual escapades and humiliations.

From The Daily Beast

Yet a screaming headline on the Drudge Report—SHARPTON WAS FBI MOB RAT—was hardly an auspicious way to begin a momentous week.

From The Daily Beast

That heritage is probably just as auspicious as is proprietorship of The Tonight Show.

From The Daily Beast

We soon found opportunity for another deed of charity not dissimilar to this, though its result was more auspicious.

From Project Gutenberg

Augustine skilfully seized the auspicious moment; she threw herself into her husband's arms, and pointed to the portrait.

From Project Gutenberg

He entered upon his government under auspicious circumstances.

From Project Gutenberg

It was at this auspicious moment that Meade's division advanced alone to pierce the Rebel line.

From Project Gutenberg

It was an auspicious moment,—a golden opportunity, such as does not often come to military commanders.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advantageous
• felicitous
• opportune
• promising
• propitious