EGREGIOUS

egregious, crying(a), flagrant, glaring, gross, rank

(adjective) conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible; “a crying shame”; “an egregious lie”; “flagrant violation of human rights”; “a glaring error”; “gross ineptitude”; “gross injustice”; “rank treachery”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

egregious (comparative more egregious, superlative most egregious)

Usually in a negative sense: conspicuous, exceptional, outstanding.

Outrageously bad; shocking.

Usage notes

The negative meaning arose in the late 16th century, probably originating in sarcasm. Before that, it meant outstanding in a good way. Webster also gives “distinguished” as an archaic form, and notes that its present form often has an unpleasant connotation (for example, “an egregious error”). It generally precedes such epithets as ass, blunderer, rascal, and rogue. The Italian as well as Spanish cognate egregio has retained a strictly positive sense, as has the Portuguese cognate egrégio.

Source: Wiktionary

E*gre"gious, a. Etym: [L. egregius; lit., separated or chosen from the herd, i. e., distinguished, excellent; e out + grex, gregis, herd. See Gregarious.]

Definition: Surpassing; extraordinary; distinguished (in a bad sense); -- formerly used with words importing a good quality, but now joined with words having a bad sense; as, an egregious rascal; an egregious ass; an egregious mistake. The egregious impudence of this fellow. Bp. Hall. His [Wyclif's] egregious labors are not to be neglected. Milton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition