was wotd|2007|June|28
English
Etymology
From L. term|egregius|Ägregius|the best; the meaning of the word was reversed when it entered the English language.
Pronunciation
IPA|/ɪËgriË.dÊÉs/ or /ÉËgriË.dÊi.És/, SAMPA|/I"gri:dZ@s/ or /@"gri:dZI@s/
audio|en-us-egregious.ogg|Audio (US)
rhymes|iËdÊÉs
Adjective
en-adj
- Exceptional, conspicuous, outstanding, most usually in a negative fashion.
#: The student has made egregious errors on the examination.
- Outrageously bad.
Usage notes
Webster also gives âdistinguishedâ 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 ârogue,â ârascal,â "ass," âblundererâ â but may also be used for a compliment, or even on its own: âSir, you are egregious.â The latter sense is only recommended when one is quite certain its object is unaware of its meaning.
Translations
trans-top|Exceptional, conspicuous, outstanding, most usually in a negative fashion
French: flagrant
German: unerhört
trans-mid
Norwegian: t-|no|flagrant, t-|no|uhørt
trans-bottom
Related terms
egregiously (adverb)
egregia cum laude
egregion (noun)
egregore
et:egregious
io:egregious
ro:egregious
ru:egregious
te:egregious
vi:egregious
zh:egregious
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