Augury
noun /ˈɔːɡjʊri/ — A sign of what is to come — an omen read from the world.
Definition
An omen; a sign of things to come; the practice of interpreting natural signs — particularly the flight of birds — to predict the future.
Beyond the definition
The augurs of ancient Rome read the flight of birds to determine whether a military campaign should proceed. Today augury describes any sign we read from the world as a portent of what's coming — the bad feeling before a decision, the small thing that correctly predicts a large thing.
Origin & history
From Latin augurium, from augur — the Roman priestly official who interpreted omens, particularly the flight and feeding patterns of birds. The root may connect to avis 'bird'.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The silence of the room when she walked in was, in retrospect, an augury of everything that followed.
He was not superstitious, but he privately took the three broken strings as an augury against the tour.
Ancient armies consulted augury before every major campaign — no battle without a reading of the signs.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Augury” when the meaning fits your context: An omen; a sign of things to come; the practice of interpreting natural signs — particularly the flight of birds — to predict the future.
Synonyms
Antonyms
certainty, fact, proof
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Augury" mean?
Augury is noun meaning: A sign of what is to come — an omen read from the world.. An omen; a sign of things to come; the practice of interpreting natural signs — particularly the flight of birds — to predict the future.
Where does the word "Augury" come from?
From Latin augurium, from augur — the Roman priestly official who interpreted omens, particularly the flight and feeding patterns of birds. The root may connect to avis 'bird'.