Egregious

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪˈɡriː.dÊ’É™s/, /əˈɡriː.dÊ’i.É™s/
• Rhymes: -iːdÊ’É™s

Origin

From Latin prefix e- ("out of"), + grex ("flock"), + English adjective suffix -ous, from Latin suffix -osus ("full of"); reflecting the positive connotations of "standing out from the flock".

Full definition of egregious

Adjective

1. Exceptional, conspicuous, outstanding, most usually in a negative fashion.The student has made egregious errors on the examination.
• 16thC, Christopher Marlowe, ,I cannot cross my arms, or sigh "Ah me,"
  "Ah me forlorn!" egregious foppery!
  I cannot buss thy fill, play with thy hair,
  Swearing by Jove, "Thou art most debonnaire!"
• c1605, William Shakespeare, , Act 2, Scene 3,My lord, you give me most egregious indignity.
• 22 March 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Hunger Gameshttp://www.avclub.com/articles/the-hunger-games,71293/When the goal is simply to be as faithful as possible to the material—as if a movie were a marriage, and a rights contract the vow—the best result is a skillful abridgment, one that hits all the important marks without losing anything egregious.
• 21 January 2014, Hermione Hoby, Julia Roberts interview for August: Osage County – 'I might actually go to hell for this ...': Julia Roberts reveals why her violent, Oscar-nominated performance in August: Osage County made her feel 'like a terrible person' [print version: 'I might actually go to hell for this ...' (18 January 2014, p. R4)], She's sitting opposite a window that's gently breezing into her face, wafting her hair into cover-girl perfection ... It's a little moment that seems to encapsulate her appeal: ... her gorgeousness being so egregious that even breezes oblige with their tousle-fanning effects ...
2. Outrageously bad; shocking.

Usage notes

The negative meaning arose in the late 16th century, probably originating in sarcasm. Before that, it meant outstanding in a good way. Webster also gives “distinguished” as an archaic form, and notes that its present form often has an unpleasant connotation (e.g., "an egregious error"). It generally precedes such epithets as “rogue,” “rascal,” "ass," “blunderer”.

Related terms

• egregiously (adverb)
• egregia cum laude
• egregion (noun)
• egregore