What does augury mean?
An augury is a sign regarded as revealing what the future holds, or the practice of reading such signs — most famously in ancient Rome, where official augurs interpreted the flight of birds before major public decisions. In modern usage the word appears mainly in formal and literary writing: a company might see falling orders as an augury of recession, or a calm morning as a good augury for the day ahead. It sits alongside words like omen and portent, though it can describe hopeful signs as well as ominous ones. Derived from Latin, it survives both in its own right and in the related verb "augur," as in "the results augur well." Because of its classical roots and slightly archaic air, augury lends writing a weight and gravitas that plainer synonyms lack.
A sign of what will happen in the future; an omen.
"The early frost was an augury of a long, hard winter."
Usually used with "of" (an augury of something) and often modified by adjectives like good, bad, or grim.
The art or practice of foretelling events by interpreting signs, especially the behaviour of birds.
"Roman generals would not cross a river without first consulting the auguries."
This sense is largely historical, referring to classical Roman religious practice.
The plural is common when referring to multiple omens or to the collected signs read by a diviner, e.g. "the auguries were favourable."
"All the auguries pointed to a difficult year ahead for the government."
In ancient Rome, augurs read the flight patterns of birds to decide whether wars and elections could go ahead — the word 'inauguration' comes from that very ritual.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of augury
"Augury" comes from the Latin "augurium," meaning divination or omen, formed from "augur" — the Roman religious official who interpreted signs from the gods, especially birds. The root may derive from the same Indo-European base that gives us "august" (consecrated, venerable). English borrowed the word in the late Middle English period, and it also underlies "inaugurate," literally "to take omens" at the start of an undertaking.
Related word forms
How augury is actually used
"Augury" belongs chiefly to formal and literary register; in everyday speech speakers usually say "sign" or "omen" instead. It carries a slightly solemn, often ominous connotation, though it can be used neutrally for good outcomes ("a happy augury"). The plural "auguries" is common when referring to signs collectively.
Easily confused with augury
An auger is a tool for boring holes, while an augury is an omen or act of divination — they differ by only one letter but share no meaning.