augur

Meaning

augur (priest, diviner, or soothsayer, one who foretold the future in part by interpreting the song and flight of birds)

Concepts

augur

Translations

augure

Augur

οιωνοσκόπος

àugur

áugure

áugur

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈau̯.ɡʊr]

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Two possibilities are:
* From Old Latin *augos (“reinforcement, increase”) (genitive *augeris), related to augeō (“to increase”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwgos; compare Sanskrit ओजस् (ojas, “strength, vigor”), Avestan 𐬀𐬊𐬘𐬀𐬵 (aojah), 𐬀𐬊𐬔𐬀𐬵 (aogah, “might, power”) as well as Latin augustus (< *h₂éwgos-tos). The noun *augos would have developed from "reinforcement" to "(one) who makes grow". This derivation is preferred by De Vaan.
* From avis (“bird”) + garrire (“to talk”), as augurs were known to observe the behavior of birds.