- Today's Word
Augur
AW-ger
Definition
(verb/noun) To predict or indicate a future event; or a religious official in ancient Rome who interpreted omens.
Example
The positive early reviews augur well for the film’s box office success.
Word Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin “augur,” a religious official who observed natural signs to predict the future, possibly from “avis” meaning “bird” + an element related to observing.
Fun Fact
Ancient Roman augurs didn’t just predict the future—they had veto power over government decisions. By declaring the omens unfavorable, an augur could halt senate meetings, cancel elections, or stop armies from marching. They interpreted bird flight patterns, lightning strikes, and animal behavior to divine the gods’ will. The practice became so politically convenient that Cicero famously quipped he was amazed augurs could look at each other without laughing. Today we’ve kept the word but dropped the birds, using “augur” whenever circumstances hint at future outcomes, good or bad.