Augur
noun / verb /ˈɔː.ɡər/ — A Roman priest who read omens in nature; to be a sign of what is to come
Definition
As a noun: a Roman religious official who interpreted omens — particularly the flight and behaviour of birds — to determine the will of the gods. As a verb: to be an omen or sign of something; to foretell or predict. 'It augurs well' means the signs are favourable.
Beyond the definition
The ancient art of reading what is already there. The augur's practice was not magic but attention — a trained sensitivity to the signals that the world gives about its own direction. Augury assumes the world is speaking; you only need to learn the language.
Origin & history
From Latin 'augur' — possibly related to 'avis' (bird) + 'garrire' (to talk, to predict). Alternatively from 'augere' (to increase, to grow). The augur was the one who could grow understanding from signs — who made more of what was visible.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Before any major Roman undertaking — battle, treaty, election — the augurs consulted the birds, and no general moved without favourable signs.
'This augurs well' — the phrase has survived perfectly intact, still carrying the assumption that the present contains information about the future.
The augur's art was the discipline of attention: to read what is, in order to know what is coming.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Augur” when the meaning fits your context: As a noun: a Roman religious official who interpreted omens — particularly the flight and behaviour of birds — to determine the will of the gods. As a verb: to be an omen or sign of something; to foretell or predict. 'It augurs well' means the signs are favourable.
Synonyms
omen-reader, soothsayer, prophet, diviner, portend
Antonyms
ignorant, unreading, blind to signs
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Augur" mean?
Augur is noun / verb meaning: A Roman priest who read omens in nature; to be a sign of what is to come. As a noun: a Roman religious official who interpreted omens — particularly the flight and behaviour of birds — to determine the will of the gods. As a verb: to be an omen or sign of something; to foretell or predict. 'It augurs well' means the signs are favourable.
Where does the word "Augur" come from?
From Latin 'augur' — possibly related to 'avis' (bird) + 'garrire' (to talk, to predict). Alternatively from 'augere' (to increase, to grow). The augur was the one who could grow understanding from signs — who made more of what was visible.