conspicuous

Pronunciation: kun-SPIK-yoo-us

adjective

Difficulty: common

Definition of conspicuous

Easily seen or noticed; standing out in a way that is clearly visible or attracts attention, often due to being unusual, striking, or prominent.

Origin of conspicuous

Language of origin: Latin

Root word: conspicuus

Original meaning: visible, striking

How it evolved: The term initially referred to something clearly visible or obvious to the eye and gradually extended to include anything that stands out or attracts attention.

The word 'conspicuous' originates from the Latin 'conspicuus', meaning 'visible' or 'striking', derived from 'conspicere', meaning 'to observe' or 'to look at'.

First known use: 15th century

How to Remember conspicuous

Think of 'conspicuous' as something that 'cons' (captures) your 'pic' (picture or attention) because it's so noticeable!

Synonyms for conspicuous

Antonyms of conspicuous

conspicuous in a Sentence

  1. The bright red coat made her conspicuous in a sea of muted colors at the formal event.
  2. His conspicuous generosity was both a blessing and a source of suspicion among his peers.
  3. The error in the report was so conspicuous that even a casual reader could not overlook it.

conspicuous in Literature & Culture

The term 'conspicuous' frequently appears in literature and social commentary to describe things or behaviors that are deliberately noticeable, such as in critiques of wealth or power.

Usage Notes

While 'conspicuous' often has a neutral connotation, in some contexts it can imply undue attention or ostentation, as in 'conspicuous consumption' (extravagant spending to show off wealth).

Why conspicuous Matters for GRE & SAT

Conspicuous is a high-frequency GRE word because it helps test-takers articulate visibility, prominence, or attention—a concept often encountered in reading comprehension and analytical writing.

Word Family

inconspicuous (adjective)
Not easily noticeable or prominent.
conspicuously (adverb)
In a way that is clearly visible or attracts attention.
conspicuousness (noun)
The quality of being easily seen or noticed.

Did You Know?

  • The phrase 'conspicuous consumption' was popularized by economist Thorstein Veblen in his 1899 book 'The Theory of the Leisure Class'.
  • Conspicuous was once used in the 17th century to describe stars or celestial bodies that were particularly bright and easy to observe.
  • The word is often used in literature to describe characters or objects that stand out dramatically, such as Gatsby's yellow car in 'The Great Gatsby'.

More Vocabulary Words Starting with C

  • cacophonous — extremely noisy; grating
  • cacophonous — extremely noisy; grating
  • cajole — persuade through flattery or gentle urging
  • cajole — persuade through flattery or gentle urging
  • callous — emotionally unfeeling or insensitive
  • callous — emotionally unfeeling or insensitive
  • callow — young and inexperienced; immature
  • callow — young and inexperienced; immature
  • calumny — slander and defamation
  • calumny — slander and defamation