augury

/ˈȯ-gyə-rē/

Middle English augurie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French augorrye, augurrie, borrowed from Latin augurium "divination by an augur, art of divination, omen, portent," from augur + -ium, suffix of function or state

noun

  1. divination from auspices or omens; also : an instance of this

  2. omen, portent

Ancient augury involved the interpretation of the flight patterns of birds.