conspicuous
kuhn-SPIK-yoo-uhs
/kənˈspɪk.ju.əs/
Standing out so as to be clearly visible; attracting notice or attention.
Can be neutral (easily seen) or negative when paired with consumption (buying things just to be noticed).
The story behind the word. From Latin 'conspicere' (to look at carefully), from 'com-' (together) and 'specere' (to look). If something is conspicuous, you cannot help but look right at it.
Word relationships
- prominent: Prominent means well-known or physically standing out, while conspicuous emphasizes drawing immediate sight or attention.
- inconspicuous: Inconspicuous means easily overlooked or blending into the background.
Commonly confused with
- ostentatious: Conspicuous means highly visible; ostentatious adds a judgment of tacky or pretentious showmanship.
Word family
- conspicuously (adverb): In a way that attracts attention.
- conspicuousness (noun): The quality of being easily seen.
Collocations
- conspicuous consumption
- conspicuous absence
- conspicuous success
- conspicuous marker
Idioms & expressions
- conspicuous by one's absence
Example sentences
- "Thorstein Veblen coined the phrase 'conspicuous consumption' to describe spending designed purely to signal high social status." Economic Theory (The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899))
Memory hook
CAN SPY US easily because we are CONSPICUOUS. Forced to look right at it.
When not to use
Avoid using it as a direct synonym for 'famous'; it refers to visibility in a specific context.
Fun facts
- 'Conspicuous by its absence' was first recorded by Roman historian Tacitus, describing statues omitted from a funeral procession.
Related words
Explore more words
prominence, spectacle, unobtrusive, salience, resplendent, intrusive
Also appears in
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