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auspicious

 - 3 dictionary results

aus⋅pi⋅cious

  [aw-spish-uhs]
–adjective
1. promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable: an auspicious occasion.
2. favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.
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Origin:
1600–10; < L auspici(um) auspice + -ous

Related forms:
aus⋅pi⋅cious⋅ly, adverb
aus⋅pi⋅cious⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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aus·pi·cious   (ô-spĭsh'əs)   
adj.  

  1. Attended by favorable circumstances; propitious: an auspicious time to ask for a raise in salary. See Synonyms at favorable.

  2. Marked by success; prosperous.

aus·pi'cious·ly adv., aus·pi'cious·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

auspicious 
1596 (implied in auspiciously), "of good omen," from L. auspicium "divination by observing the flight of birds," from auspex (gen. auspicis) "augur," lit. "one who takes signs from the flight of birds," from PIE *awi-spek- "observer of birds," from *awi- "bird" + *spek- "to see." Connection between birds and omens also is in Gk. oionos "bird of prey, bird of omen, omen," and ornis "bird," which also could mean "omen." Auspice (usually pl.) "influence exerted on behalf of someone or something" is from 1637.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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