Conspicuous
Standing out very noticeably; attracting attention; easy to see.
adjectiveConspicuous
Standing out very noticeably; attracting attention; easy to see.
adjectiveImagine This
Picture a crowded street festival. A performer in a blazing neon-green suit and a towering feathered hat walks by. Despite hundreds of people, every eye is drawn to this person—their outfit is conspicuous, impossible to ignore.
Sounds Like
kun-SPIK-yoo-uhs
Looks Like
Contains the root 'spicu' from Latin for 'to look' and the suffix '-ous'; visually resembles other -ous adjectives built from a root meaning 'to look'.
Remember This
Conspicuous comes from Latin conspicuus meaning easily seen. It is often used to describe something that demands attention, such as a conspicuous display or a conspicuous absence.
Other Forms
Connect With
visible, noticeable, eye-catching, prominent, salient; opposite: inconspicuous, unobtrusive
Note
Conspicuous does not always carry a positive connotation; it simply means 'easily seen'. Be careful with nuance: 'conspicuous' can imply admiration in some contexts and criticism (as in conspicuous consumption) in others. The adverb is conspicuously and the noun forms are conspicuousness and conspicuity.