Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “auspice” come from?

auspice (English) comes from Latin auspicium, from Latin auspex, from Latin avi-spex, from Latin speciō, from Proto-Italic spekjō, from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyeti, from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- — to see, to look, to observe.

auspice (English): Patronage or protection; An omen or a sign;...

Definitions

  1. Patronage or protection; An omen or a sign;...

Ancestry of “auspice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinauspiciumdivination, augury; auspices; sign, indication
2Latinauspexan augur; an officiating priest
3Latinavi-spex—
4Latinspeciō—
5Proto-Italicspekjōto observe, to see
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
7Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “auspice”

  • auspicious
  • inauspicious
  • auspiciously
  • auspiciousness
  • inauspiciously
  • inauspiciousness
  • unauspicious
  • auspicing
  • unauspiciously
  • auspices
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →