conspicuous

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kənˈspɪkjuəs/ UK /kənˈspɪkjuəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
clearly visible or attracting notice; striking

Her bright red coat made her conspicuous in the gray crowd.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · clearly visible or... noticeable prominent obvious striking evident salient manifest

Opposites

inconspicuous unnoticeable obscure hidden subtle

Word family

Forms conspicuousness

Derived forms conspicuouslyconspicuousnessconspicuity

Related forms conspectus spectacle inspect perspective prospect

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

conspicuous consumption
buying or using expensive things to display wealth and status

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin conspicuus ('visible, striking'), from conspicere ('to look at attentively'), from con- (intensive) + specere ('to look').

conspicuus Latin specere Latin *spek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# conspicuous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /kənˈspɪkjuəs/
**IPA (UK):** /kənˈspɪkjuəs/

## Meanings
1. clearly visible or attracting notice; striking

## Examples
- Her bright red coat made her conspicuous in the gray crowd.

## Synonyms
- noticeable
- prominent
- obvious
- striking
- evident
- salient
- manifest

## Antonyms
- inconspicuous
- unnoticeable
- obscure
- hidden
- subtle

## Derived Forms
- conspicuously
- conspicuousness
- conspicuity

## Related Forms
- conspectus
- spectacle
- inspect
- perspective
- prospect

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: conspicuus
- Root: specere - to look at
- Root: *spek-

## Etymology
From Latin conspicuus ('visible, striking'), from conspicere ('to look at attentively'), from con- (intensive) + specere ('to look').

## AI Etymology
Conspicuous is from Latin conspicuus ('visible, striking'), from conspicere ('to look at attentively'), from con- (intensive) + specere ('to look'). In present-day use, it means clearly visible or attracting notice; striking. Derived formations include conspicuously, conspicuousness, and conspicuity. Related vocabulary includes conspectus, spectacle, inspect, perspective, and prospect.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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