Standard Lemma guide

auspice

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: ôsʹpĭs
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɔːspɪs/
  • US: ôsʹpĭs
  • US: /ˈɔspɪs/
  • cot-caught-merger: äsʹpĭs
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈɑspɪs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɔːspɪs
  • CMU ARPABET: AO1 S P IH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Patronage or protection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

Examples

  • This building was built under the auspices of the Friends of the Poor.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aegis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: support

2

noun

Meaning 2

An omen or a sign.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The circle of vultures was not a good auspice.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Divination from the actions of birds.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: augury, fortunetelling, divination

4

verb

Meaning 4

To be patron of; to sponsor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The music festival was auspiced by a popular radio station.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a favorable omen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: omen, portent, presage, prognostic, prognostication, prodigy

History

Etymology

From Middle French auspice, from Latin auspicium, in turn from auspex.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: покровителство (pokrovitelstvo) — patronage
  • Chinese Cantonese: 保護 /保护 (bou2 wu6) — patronage
  • Dutch: patronage — patronage
  • Dutch: auspiciën — patronage
  • Finnish: suojelus — patronage
  • French: auspices — patronage
  • Greek: αιγίδα (aigída) — patronage
  • Norwegian Bokmål: auspisier — patronage
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: auspisiar — patronage
  • Russian: покрови́тельство (pokrovítelʹstvo) — patronage
  • Russian: проте́кция (protékcija) — patronage
  • Bulgarian: знамение (znamenie) — omen
  • Bulgarian: предзнаменование (predznamenovanie) — omen
  • Catalan: auspici — omen
  • Dutch: voorteken — omen
  • Dutch: omen — omen
  • Finnish: enne — omen
  • Finnish: ennusmerkki — omen
  • French: auspice — omen
  • Norwegian Bokmål: auspisier — omen
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: auspisiar — omen
  • Russian: предзнаменова́ние (predznamenovánije) — omen
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوغور (uğur) — omen