Make Your Point: AUSPICIOUS

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pronounce AUSPICIOUS:

aw SPISH us

connect this word to others:

As we check out the happy word auspicious, see if you can recall this loosely related word:

Originally meaning "a priest who observed the movements of the heavens, as well as the behavior of birds in the skies, to interpret the will of the gods and to recommend the best courses of action" and today meaning "to foretell: to show or suggest that some specific thing will happen," is the word au__r.

Let's also gather up some synonyms of auspicious, like lucky, promising, favorable, fortunate, propitious, and these two:

1. Something convenient or well-timed is opp____ne.

2. Something lucky and helpful, or wonderfully appropriate for the situation, is fel____ous.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

Let's start with the word "auspice," which traces back to the Latin auspicum, "the act of telling the future by interpreting the movements of birds in the skies," and might trace back further to very old roots meaning "bird observer, bird watcher." (Which would explain why "auspicious" resembles other words about looking or watching, like "suspicious" and "conspicuous.")

Today, in English, auspices are happy signs, good omens. And, if you say you're under the auspices of someone, you mean that person is guiding and helping and protecting you, as if they've determined, mystically, by the movements of birds in the skies, that you must succeed. Cool, right?

That brings us to "auspicious," which means "lucky, happy, favorable: seeming to promise success, as if by mystical divination from the movement of birds."

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "an auspicious day;" "This day is auspicious."

Other forms:

The opposite is "inauspicious," meaning "unlucky, unfavorable: seeming to promise failure," as in "Thunder boomed, and the day was off to an inauspicious start."

"Auspices" are good omens, or the guidance and protection of someone: "I see rainbows as auspices of joy and comfort;" "Mainstream musicians often work under the auspices of wealthy record companies."

The adverb is "auspiciously," as in "The day started out auspiciously enough." Here's the Washington Post: "Less auspiciously, the show's playbill did not spell his name correctly."

And the opposite adverb is "inauspiciously," as in "The day started inauspiciously, with heavy rain."

how to use it:

Pick the common, formal word "auspicious" when you want to strike a positive, happy tone as you describe something that seems to bode well.

Here are the three most common ways we use the word:

1. We talk about auspicious moments and days: the kind when good things happen, or when good things begin.

2. We talk about auspicious starts and beginnings: the kind that are lucky and promising, signaling something wonderful and new.

3. We talk about auspicious arrivals, departures, meetings, visits, and other events: the well-timed kind that lead to happy outcomes.

examples:

"At 18, Lewetzow has his real-estate license and his first listing — a $625,000 condo in San Francisco... Lewetzow appears to be off to an auspicious start. Recently, he had an open house for the condo."
— Julian Guthrie, Seattle Times, 30 May 2009

"[The opera 'Sumeida's Song'] inaugurated Prototype, a new festival of boundary-blurring musical-theater works produced by Here and Beth Morrison Projects. It was an auspicious kickoff to an adventurous festival, which offers productions of five works."
— Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, 10 January 2013

has this page helped you understand "auspicious"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "auspicious" without saying "boding well" or "favorable."

try it out:

From Dragonwings, by Laurence Yep:

"The winds began rising from the bay waters, racing over Oakland and sweeping low over the hissing weeds, which nodded back and forth in great shimmering waves of gold... 'The horoscope book said this is a most auspicious day... Just feel those winds.'"

With this lovely scene in mind as an example, talk about an auspicious day from your own life. What was the weather like? What was happening that felt particularly lucky, happy, or exciting?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Words On Words On Birds."

Use your knowledge of vocabulary to answer questions about the terminology describing names for birds.

Try this today:

Which of the names below is an autochthonym?

A. "aalge," the Danish name for an auk
B. "razorbill," named for its prominent bill
C. "penguin," which might literally mean "white head"
D. "emperor penguin," named for its superior size and weight

Need a hint? Highlight this hidden text: Consider the meaning of the prefix auto-, as well as the most literal meaning of the word "chthonic."

To see the answer, scroll all the way down.

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of AUSPICIOUS is INAUSPICIOUS, which means

A. UPROARIOUS: noisy, chaotic, or full of very loud laughter.
B. ADVENTITIOUS: a part of something because of random chance or because of outside forces.
C. OMINOUS: creepy, spooky, or sinister in a way that seems to suggest that something bad will happen.

2. According to the New York Times, astrologers believe that "a solar eclipse represents _____, so it offers a rather auspicious backdrop for _____."

A. a dying power .. deaths
B. a new beginning .. nuptials
C. the interconnectedness of the universe .. divorces

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
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  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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