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haruspex

[ huh-ruhs-peks, har-uh-speks ]
/ həˈrʌs pɛks, ˈhær əˌspɛks /
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noun, plural ha·rus·pi·ces [huh-ruhs-puh-seez]. /həˈrʌs pəˌsiz/.
(in ancient Rome) one of a class of minor priests who practiced divination, especially from the entrails of animals killed in sacrifice.
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Also a·rus·pex [uh-ruhs-peks] /əˈrʌs pɛks/ .

Origin of haruspex

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin, equivalent to haru- (akin to hīra “intestine”; see chord1) + spec- (stem of specere “to look at”) + -s nominative singular ending
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use haruspex in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for haruspex

haruspex
/ (həˈrʌspɛks) /

noun plural haruspices (həˈrʌspɪˌsiːz)
(in ancient Rome) a priest who practised divination, esp by examining the entrails of animals

Derived forms of haruspex

haruspical (həˈrʌspɪkəl), adjectiveharuspicy (həˈrʌspɪsɪ), noun

Word Origin for haruspex

C16: from Latin, probably from hīra gut + specere to look
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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