Augury
/หษห.ษกjส.ri/noun
The practice of interpreting omens from the observed behavior of birds or other signs.
Did you know?Augurs, the priests who practiced augury, believed that the will of the gods could be discerned from the flight patterns of birds, making it a vital tool for decision-making in ancient Rome.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*aug-
โto increase or to grow, often associated with power or authority.โ
Latin
Latin
augurium
โa sign or omen, particularly one derived from bird observations.โ
Latin
Latin
augur
โa priest or seer who interprets omens.โ
Old French
Old French
augure
โa divination or prophecy.โ
Middle English
Middle English
augurie
โthe practice of interpreting omens.โ
Modern English
English
augury
โthe act of predicting future events based on omens.โ