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Inauspicious Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

๐ŸŒง๏ธ
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inauspicious

[หŒษชnษ”หˆspษชสƒษ™s ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

unlucky

Not conducive to success; unpromising; unlucky.

Synonyms

unlucky, unpromising, unpropitious.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
inauspicious

Used to describe something that suggests bad luck or an unpromising event. Often formal or literary.

  • The old house had an inauspicious appearance, with broken windows and overgrown weeds.
  • Their first meeting was rather inauspicious, filled with awkward silences.
unlucky

Commonly used in everyday conversation to describe situations or events that result from bad luck.

  • It was unlucky that it rained on the day of our picnic.
  • He seemed to be unlucky in love, with each relationship ending quickly.
unpromising

Used to indicate that something seems unlikely to be successful or beneficial. Often used in a business or project context.

  • The project seemed unpromising, but we decided to give it a try.
  • She took an unpromising start and turned it into a winning strategy.
unpropitious

A formal or literary term used to describe conditions or times that are not favorable or likely to lead to success.

  • The weather was unpropitious for sailing, with strong winds and dark clouds.
  • The investor decided to wait for a more propitious moment, as the current market conditions were unpropitious.

Examples of usage

  • The inauspicious weather forecast threatened to ruin our outdoor picnic.
  • The team's inauspicious start to the season made fans worried about their chances of winning.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Cultural Reference

  • In many cultures, starting a new venture on a Friday the 13th is considered inauspicious.
  • Chinese culture associates certain numbers, like 4, with inauspicious meanings due to their phonetic resemblance to words for death.

Literature

  • In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', the character's ill-fated love is often seen as inauspicious right from the start.
  • In novels, a storm brewing or birds acting strangely can foreshadow inauspicious events, signaling trouble or misfortune.

Astrology

  • In astrology, inauspicious planetary alignments can indicate periods of difficulty or challenge for individuals.
  • Certain horoscopes may label particular days as inauspicious for making big decisions or starting important projects.

Psychology

  • People tend to remember inauspicious events more vividly than positive ones, influencing their outlook on future situations.
  • Cognitive biases can lead individuals to perceive neutral events as inauspicious based on previous negative experiences.

Origin of 'inauspicious'

Main points about word origin

  • The word comes from the Latin 'inauspicious', which combines 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'auspicium', meaning 'omen'.
  • Originally, 'auspicium' referred to interpreting the will of the gods, particularly through bird observation in ancient Rome.

The word 'inauspicious' originated from the Latin word 'inauspiciลsus', which means 'unfavorable'. It was first used in the mid 17th century. The prefix 'in-' denotes negation or absence, while 'auspicious' refers to something that is favorable or fortunate. Therefore, 'inauspicious' signifies the opposite - something that is not favorable or lucky.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,956, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.