Conspicuous: easy to notice
Conspicuous means readily visible or likely to attract attention. It comes from Latin conspicuus, meaning visible, related to a verb meaning to catch sight of. A bright orange suitcase is conspicuous among black bags, but the word does not imply that its owner intended to stand out.
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Noticeable against its surroundings
Conspicuous is an adjective for something that is easy to see or attracts attention. It comes from Latin conspicuus, meaning visible, related to conspicere, meaning to catch sight of.
Noticeability depends on context. A white cup may be conspicuous on a dark table but difficult to pick out among twenty other white cups. The word describes how much something stands out in the situation.
Common uses include:
- A conspicuous sign near an entrance.
- A conspicuous error in a headline.
It can also appear in the phrase conspicuous by its absence, meaning an absence is particularly noticeable. For example, an empty central display stand may draw attention because visitors expect an object to be there.