1560s, from French inauguration "installation, consecration," and directly from Latin inaugurationem (nominative inauguratio) "consecration, installment under good omens," noun of action from past participle stem of inaugurare "take omens from the flight of birds; consecrate or install when such omens are favorable," from in- "on, in" (see in-(2)) + augurare "to act as an augur, predict" (see augur).