egregious
|e-gre-gious|
/ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/
standing out conspicuously
Etymology
'egregious' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'egregius', where 'e-' (from 'ex-') meant 'out' and 'grex' meant 'flock'.
'egregius' originally meant 'standing out from the flock' (i.e., distinguished). The word entered English in the 16th century from Latin usage. Over time, especially by the 18th–19th centuries, the sense shifted in English to mean 'conspicuously bad'.
Initially it meant 'standing out (positively), distinguished or remarkable', but over time it evolved into its current predominant meaning of 'conspicuously bad or shocking'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
outstandingly bad; shockingly negative or heinous.
The company's safety violations were egregious and put workers at serious risk.
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Adjective 2
remarkably good or distinguished (archaic/earlier usage).
In older texts, 'egregious' sometimes praised someone for being remarkably outstanding.
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Last updated: 2026/01/13 21:01