augur

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to foretell or portend; a Roman official who interpreted omens

   Falling sales did not augur well for the coming year.

Simplified etymology

Augur dates from the late Middle English period. It was another name for an auspex, a person who observed the flight of birds for omens, and its roots are given as avis, “bird,” and garrire, “to talk.” As a verb, augur can indicate a particular outcome, as in something that “augurs well.”

From Latin augur, a Roman religious official who interpreted omens, especially from the flight of birds; perhaps related to augere ('to increase') or to avis ('bird').

Topics

External links

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