inconspicuous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inconspicuous
From the Latin word inconspicuus, dating back to 1615–25. See in- 3, conspicuous
Explanation
Inconspicuous describes something that doesn't stand out or attract attention. The bad news? You just got pizza sauce on your shirt. The good news? It landed in an inconspicuous spot, so no one will notice. Inconspicuous comes from the Latin word inconspicuus, or "not visible," and the original meaning of inconspicuous was "invisible," until around 1828. Today, it describes anything that blends in or isn't very noticeable. If you have ever tried to find your black luggage among all the other pieces of black luggage at the airport, you know that sometimes, being inconspicuous makes things harder.
Vocabulary lists containing inconspicuous
Speak
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
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The Jungle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On an Inconspicuous Brooklyn Block, a Curious Nickname and Hobbit Doors Outsiders call it the street with little doors.
From New York Times • May 28, 2012
Inconspicuous from the outside, it's very popular with Chinese students.
From Time • Mar. 5, 2012
Inconspicuous, the hundred or so pages were not marked in a way that hinted at the contents.
From Time Magazine Archive
Inconspicuous in the orchestra sat big, shaggy, beaming Lawyer Paul Drennan Cravath, hearing his first performance as chairman instead of dapper Banker Otto Hermann Kahn.
From Time Magazine Archive
Inconspicuous flowers and large leathery leaves are very common.
From Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan, Volume II (of 2) Including a Summer in the Upper Karun Region and a Visit to the Nestorian Rayahs by Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
