The auspicious meaning is simple: something auspicious looks like a good sign, a hint that what follows will go well. An auspicious day is a favourable day to start a project, sign a deal or hold a celebration.
The word sounds grand, and it is a little formal, but you hear it often at weddings, openings and launches. It describes beginnings far more than endings, because it is about what a moment promises.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Promising; showing signs that things will turn out wellPart of speech
AdjectivePronunciation
aw-SPISH-uhsWord forms
auspiciously, auspiciousnessOrigin
Latin auspicium, reading omens from birds; in English from the 1590sOpposite
inauspicious; see also ominousRegister
Fairly formal; common in speeches and writing
Auspicious meaning, sense by sense
If you need to define auspicious, picture of two closely linked senses:
- Favourable, lucky. A time, date or sign that is believed to bring good fortune. Many families pick an auspicious date for a wedding or for moving into a new home.
- Promising, off to a good start. No luck or belief needed: a team that wins its first three games has made an auspicious start to the season.
So what does auspicious mean in daily use? Mostly the second sense, a beginning that suggests success. The first sense lives on in cultures where the timing of big events matters a great deal.
Example sentences
- The bakery opened on a sunny holiday morning with a queue around the block, an auspicious first day.
- My grandmother checked the calendar to find an auspicious day for the naming ceremony.
- Rain on the morning of the launch did not feel auspicious, but the event went smoothly.
- Scoring full marks on the first test was an auspicious start to her final year.
- The two companies signed the agreement on what both sides called an auspicious occasion.
From bird watchers in ancient Rome
The meaning of auspicious has a striking history. In ancient Rome, an auspex was a person who watched birds, how they flew, how many there were, which way they went, and read these as signs of whether the gods approved of a plan. The practice was called auspicium. English took auspicious from it in the 1590s, meaning "of good omen".
The same root gives auspices, as in "a conference held under the auspices of the university", meaning with its support or guidance. That phrase came from the idea that a Roman leader who took the omens was in charge.
How to use auspicious in a sentence
It is an adjective, so it sits before a noun or after a linking verb:
- Common pairings: auspicious start, auspicious beginning, auspicious occasion, auspicious day, auspicious moment, auspicious debut.
- After a verb: "The signs were auspicious." "The timing seemed auspicious."
- Adverb: "The year began auspiciously."
It is rarely used for people. You would not usually call a person auspicious; you would call their arrival or their first day auspicious.
Opposite and nearby words
| Word | What it adds |
|---|---|
| inauspicious | The direct opposite: an unlucky or unpromising start |
| ominous | A sign that something bad is coming, often with a feeling of threat |
| promising | Plain everyday version, no hint of luck or omens |
| propitious | Very close; slightly more formal, often about conditions being right |
| fortunate | Lucky in what has already happened, not a sign of the future |
For fate and lucky chance, read about kismet (fate) and serendipity (happy chance).
Where you hear it
In India, the word is everyday English for a good day or hour chosen for a wedding, a housewarming, buying a vehicle or opening a shop. Invitations and shop banners use it freely. In the US and UK it shows up more in speeches, sports reports and business writing: "an auspicious debut", "an auspicious moment for the company".
You can find more words like this in our everyday vocabulary section.
Mistakes to avoid
Some learners use auspicious to mean "suspicious" because the words look alike. They are unrelated: suspicious means doubtful or not trusted. Others use it for anything nice. The word works best for a start, a sign or a time, not for a meal or a sweater.
Frequently asked questions
Is auspicious a positive word?
It leans fully hopeful. The word always points toward good things ahead. If you want the negative, use inauspicious or, for a stronger sense of threat, ominous.
How do you pronounce auspicious?
Say aw-SPISH-uhs, putting the weight on SPISH. The "ci" sounds like "sh", just as in delicious.
What is the difference between auspicious and auspices?
Auspicious is an adjective meaning promising or lucky. Auspices is a noun, usually in the phrase "under the auspices of", meaning with the support or guidance of an organisation.
Can I say a person is auspicious?
It sounds odd. Use it for a moment, a start or a sign linked to the person: "her auspicious debut" rather than "she is auspicious".
Does auspicious have to involve religion or astrology?
No. It can describe a choice made by tradition or belief, but it is just as common for a promising start in sport, work or school with no belief involved.
What is an auspicious occasion?
A special event that marks a happy start, such as a wedding, an opening or an anniversary. Speakers often begin with "On this auspicious occasion" to sound formal.