Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “auspices” come from?

auspices (English) comes from English auspice, 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.

auspices (English): plural of auspice; Protection or patronage

Definitions

  1. plural of auspice; Protection or patronage

Ancestry of “auspices”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishauspicePatronage or protection; An omen or a sign;...
2Latinauspiciumdivination, augury; auspices; sign, indication
3Latinauspexan augur; an officiating priest
4Latinavi-spex—
5Latinspeciō—
6Proto-Italicspekjōto observe, to see
7Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →