LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

auspex

auspex m (genitive auspicis)
Classical[ˈau̯s.pɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈau̯s.peks]

Meaning

  1. masculinean augur
    Coordinate term: haruspex
  2. masculinean officiating priest

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeauspexauspicēs
genitiveauspicisauspicum
dativeauspicīauspicibus
accusativeauspicemauspicēs
ablativeauspiceauspicibus
vocativeauspexauspicēs

auspex, spĭcis, comm. a contraction of avispex, from avis-spicio,
I. a bird inspector, bird-seer, i. e. one who observes the flight, singing, or feeding of birds, and foretells future events therefrom; an augur, soothsayer, diviner (in a lit. signif. far more rare than augur).
I. Lit.: latores et auspices legis curiatae, Cic. Att. 2, 7: ego cui timebo Providus auspex, Hor. C. 3, 27, 8.—Of the birds from which auguries were taken: (galli, gallinacei) victoriarum omnium auspices, Plin. 10, 21, 24, § 49.—Since little of importance was done in Rome without consulting the auspices, hence,
II. Transf.
A. 1.. In gen., an author, founder, director, leader, protector, favorer: divis Auspicibus coeptorum operum, Verg. A. 3, 20: Dis equidem auspicibus reor etc., id. ib. 4, 45, and Ov. F. 1, 615: auspice Musā, i. e. under the inspiration of the muse, Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 13: Nil desperandum Teucro duce et auspice Teucro, id. C. 1, 7, 27.—
2. Esp., as t. t., the person who witnessed the marriage contract, the reception of the marriage portion, took care that the marriage ceremonies were rightly performed, etc., παρανύμφιος: nihil fere quondam majoris rei nisi auspicato ne privatim quidem gerebatur, quod etiam nunc nuptiarum auspices declarant, qui re omissā nomen tantum tenent, Cic. Div. 1, 16, 28; cf. Val. Max. 2, 1, 1; Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 346; Plaut. Cas. prol. 86: nubit genero socrus nullis auspicibus, nullis auctoribus, etc., Cic. Clu. 5, 14; so Liv. 42, 12, 4: auspicum verba, Tac. A. 11, 27; 15, 37: alicui nubere dote inter auspices consignatā, Suet. Claud. 26; veniet cum signatoribus auspex, Juv. 10, 336 Schol.; Luc. 2, 371 Schol.—In fem., Claud. in Rufin. 1, 1, 83; cf. pronubus; auctor, II. F. 3.; and Smith, Dict. Antiq.—
B. A beginning (post-class.), Eum. Pan. Const. 3; Pacat. Pan. Theod. 3.—
C. Adj., fortunate, favorable, auspicious, lucky (post-class.): clamor, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 610: victoria, id. VI. Cons. Hon. 653: purpura, id. Ep. ad Seren. 57.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwis
  3. Proto-Italic*awis
  4. Latinauspex

Proto-Italic *speks Latin *-spex Latin *avispeks Latin auspex By syncope from earlier *avi-spex (“who examines (the flight of) the birds”), equivalent to avis, avi- (“bird”) + speciō (“to watch; to observe”) + -s, with contraction of avi- to au-; compare auceps.

Descendants
  • Italianauspice
  • Portugueseáuspice
  • Koine Greekαὔσπῑξ
  • Koine Greekαὖσπεξ

Quick answers

What does auspex mean in Latin?
auspex, a noun, means “an augur; an officiating priest”.
What is the genitive of auspex?
The genitive singular is auspicis. auspex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce auspex?
In classical Latin, [ˈau̯s.pɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈau̯s.peks].
Where does auspex come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-der.? → Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwis → Proto-Italic *awis → Latin auspex.