egregious
Egregious (adj) means Shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way. Example: “That was an egregious error that cost the company millions.”
How to use egregious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishReally, obviously bad — the kind of mistake or behavior that's impossible to overlook.
Almost always negative in modern English, even though the Latin root originally praised something as exceptional.
Word forms
more egregious comparative, most egregious superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
That was an _____ error that cost the company millions.
Etymology
From Latin egregius ("outstanding, distinguished"), literally "standing out from the flock" (e- "out of" + grex "flock"). The word once meant "remarkably good," but over time it flipped to mean "remarkably bad."
Rhymes for egregious
See all rhymes for egregious →Frequently asked questions
What does “egregious” mean?
The word “egregious” means shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way. In plain terms, really, obviously bad — the kind of mistake or behavior that's impossible to overlook.
How do you pronounce “egregious”?
“Egregious” is pronounced ih-GREE-juhs (/ɪˈɡɹiː.d͡ʒəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “egregious” in a sentence?
Here is “egregious” used in a sentence: “That was an egregious error that cost the company millions.”
What part of speech is “egregious”?
“Egregious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “egregious” come from?
The word “egregious” comes from Latin. From Latin egregius ("outstanding, distinguished"), literally "standing out from the flock" (e- "out of" + grex "flock"). The word once meant "remarkably good," but over time it flipped to mean "remarkably bad.".
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