haruspex

[ huh-ruhs-peks, har-uh-speks ]
/ həˈrʌs pɛks, ˈhær əˌspɛks /

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.
Also aruspex.

Origin of haruspex

1575–85; < Latin, equivalent to haru- (akin to hīra intestine; see chord1) + spec- (stem of specere to look at) + -s nominative singular ending

Example sentences from the Web for haruspex

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), adjective haruspicy (həˈrʌspɪsɪ), noun

Word Origin for haruspex

C16: from Latin, probably from hīra gut + specere to look