egregious
[ih-gree-juh s, -jee-uh s]
- extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant: an egregious mistake; an egregious liar.
- Archaic. distinguished or eminent.
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Origin of egregious
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for egregious
Contemporary Examples
Perhaps one of the most egregious examples is the abuse of civil asset forfeiture laws.
Here are just a few of the most egregious uses of lethal force by Chicago police.
Chicago’s Cops Don’t Even Get Investigated for Shooting People in the BackJustin Glawe
December 5, 2014
The most egregious uses of lethal force have been borne by people with intellectual disabilities and children.
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little GirlsEmily Shire
December 4, 2014
To call Wild an emotional film would be an egregious disservice to its astounding journey to screen.
Conditions are worsening and the Rodney King verdict is certainly not the most egregious injustice in our midst.
‘Why Have I Lost Control?’: Cory Booker in ’92 on Rodney King Echoes FergusonCory Booker
November 26, 2014
Historical Examples
He felt happier now that he had pricked the egregious fellow's vanity.
Changing WindsSt. John G. Ervine
I had followed her in, and I ground my teeth at such an egregious piece of folly.
The Shame of MotleyRaphael Sabatini
It is much more likely that I should be an egregious failure.
ScaramoucheRafael Sabatini
But he in his egregious vanity must of cours e misunderstand.
The Historical Nights Entertainment, Second SeriesRafael Sabatini
It would seem, conversely, that they who cope ill have made some egregious blunder?
The MemorabiliaXenophon
egregious
- outstandingly bad; flagrantan egregious lie
- archaic distinguished; eminent
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin ēgregius outstanding (literally: standing out from the herd), from ē- out + grex flock, herd
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for egregious
adj.
1530s, "distinguished, eminent, excellent," from Latin egregius "distinguished, excellent, extraordinary," from the phrase ex grege "rising above the flock," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + grege, ablative of grex "herd, flock" (see gregarious).
Disapproving sense, now predominant, arose late 16c., originally ironic and is not in the Latin word, which etymologically means simply "exceptional." Related: Egregiously; egregiousness.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper