Word of the Day - 10/28/25
augury
/'ɔɡjəri/(n.): an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come
The sudden flight of birds was interpreted as an augury of impending disaster.
Word Origin
The word 'augury' originates from the Latin word 'augurium', meaning 'observation and interpretation of omens' or 'divination'. It is derived from 'augur', the title of an ancient Roman priest who interpreted omens, especially from the flight and feeding of birds, to guide public affairs. The root 'augur' is believed to be connected to the Latin verb 'augere', meaning 'to increase, to prosper, to make great', implying the augur's role was to ensure a favorable or prosperous outcome through their interpretations. The word can be broken down as 'augur' (related to 'augere', to increase) + '-ium' (a Latin noun suffix).
Words with similar origins include 'augur' (the priest), 'augment' (to increase, from 'augere'), 'August' (meaning 'consecrated, venerable', implying an increase in dignity), and 'inaugurate' (originally meaning 'to take omens before beginning something', from 'in-' + 'augurare').