Definition

Not likely to bring good fortune or success; considered unlucky or unfavorable.

Example

The dark clouds on the horizon were an inauspicious sign for the outdoor wedding.

Conversation

I heard your team lost the game last night.

Yeah, it was pretty inauspicious from the start.

That's a bummer; I thought they had a good chance.

Me too, but sometimes things just don’t go as planned.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Inauspicious → It is formed from "in-" (meaning not) and "auspicium" (from Latin, meaning omen or sign). The word describes something that is not favorable or does not bode well, indicating bad luck or misfortune.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('in-') being combined with 'omen' ('auspicium') to remember that 'inauspicious' means something that does not bring good fortune.

Visually Confused Words