What does propitious mean?
Word: Propitious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Propitious means giving a good chance of success, or showing that things are likely to go well.
Synonyms: promising
How do you spell propitious?
Syllables: pro - pi - tious
Tricky part: The ending sounds like shus, and delicious and precious suggest a c. This word takes a t instead.
Watch out for: propicious, propishous
Memory tip: A propitious start gives you a Ticket to success: the letter before ious is a t.
Propitious in a sentence
Example 1: The clear morning seemed a propitious time to set out for the summit.
Example 2: With exams over and everyone in a good mood, it was a propitious moment to suggest a class trip.
Example 3: The first week of sales was propitious for the young company.
Fun Fact
Older sea stories often speak of a propitious wind, meaning one blowing the right way to carry a ship out of harbour.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Choose the letters that complete the word:
pr_p_tious
a) e, i
b) o, e
c) a, i
d) o, i
Show answer
d) o, i. Pro opens the word, and the i belongs to the pi beat.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled letters in the sentence hide a word. Choose it.
With the tide high and a light breeze, it was a uirspoptoi moment to launch the boat.
a) pretentious
b) propitious
c) preposterous
d) prestigious
Show answer
b) propitious. Pretentious needs an n, prestigious a g, and preposterous has no i.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word propitious as used in the sentence:
The early rain was a propitious sign for the farmers of the district.
a) unfavourable
b) hopeful
c) lucky
d) favourable
Show answer
a) unfavourable. A good sign is reversed by a bad one, and this is the only option that points that way.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. propitious 2. fortuitious 3. oportune 4. advantagous
a) coming at a suitable time
b) pointing to a happy outcome
c) happening by pure chance
d) giving you a benefit of some kind
Show answer
b) pointing to a happy outcome. Advantageous keeps the e of advantage, fortuitous has no i before the ous, and opportune has a double p.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What would count as a propitious start to a new business?
a) a delay in the delivery of stock
b) a long queue on its opening morning
c) a power cut in its opening week
d) a poor review on the day it opens
Show answer
b) a long queue on its opening morning
2. If the weather looks propitious for the school picnic, the teachers will probably ____.
a) move it to next year
b) call off the whole outing
c) keep everyone in class
d) go ahead with the plan
Show answer
d) go ahead with the plan
