Word of the Day Archive
Thursday April 25, 2002
propitious \pruh-PISH-uhs\
, adjective:
1. Presenting favorable circumstances or conditions.
2. Favorably inclined; gracious; benevolent.
By the early 1500s rice was being planted on the Cape Verde island most propitious for agriculture, Santiago.
-- Judith A. Carney, Black Rice
It is hard to imagine a less propitious start to a marriage: in a single blow Vincent forfeited the trust of his wife, the respect of her family, and the means of his own support.
-- Matthew Sturgis, Aubrey Beardsley: A Biography
Propitious derives from Latin propitius, "favorable."
Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for propitious
