auspices
PRONUNCIATION: (AW-spi-seez)
MEANING:
noun:
1. Patronage, support, or sponsorship.
2. A favorable sign.
ETYMOLOGY:
Plural of auspice, from Latin auspicium (divination from flight of birds), from auspex (bird watcher), from avis (bird) + specere (to look at). Ultimately from the Indo-European root awi- (bird), which is also the source of avian, ostrich, osprey, oval, ovum, ovary, egg, and caviar. Earliest documented use: 1611.
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E -- K
AUSPICKS - divinations by patterns of bird flights as to predicting the winners of horse races.