conspicuous, flagrant, erroneous, impervious, docile: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 183. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. conspicuous · adjective/kənˈspɪk.ju.əs/

   easily seen or noticeable

   Her bright red dress made her conspicuous at the party, drawing everyone's attention.

   Synonyms: obvious, evident, noticeable

   Origin: from Latin 'conspicuus', meaning 'visible, clear, evident'

2. flagrant · adjective/ˈfleɪ.ɡrənt/

   shocking and obvious in a way that shows a lack of concern for rules or morality

   The company's flagrant disregard for environmental regulations earned them significant backlash from the community.

   Synonyms: blatant, conspicuous, egregious

   Origin: The word 'flagrant' comes from the Latin 'flagrans,' the present participle of 'flagrare,' meaning 'to burn' or 'to blaze.'

3. erroneous · adjective/ɪˈroʊniəs/

   containing mistakes or errors

   The report contained erroneous data which led to incorrect conclusions being drawn.

   Synonyms: incorrect, mistaken, faulty

   Origin: From Latin 'erroneus', from 'errare' meaning 'to err or wander'.

4. impervious · adjective/ɪmˈpɝː.vi.əs/

   not allowing fluid to pass through

   The new waterproof jacket is impervious to rain, ensuring that I stay dry in even the heaviest downpour.

   Synonyms: impenetrable, unyielding, waterproof

   Origin: From Latin 'impervius', from 'in-' (not) + 'pervius' (passable)

5. docile · adjective/ˈdɑː.səl/

   easily taught, led, or controlled

   The trainer found the dog to be exceptionally docile, making it easy to teach new tricks.

   Synonyms: meek, submissive, obedient

   Origin: Middle French 'docile', from Latin 'docilis', meaning 'easily taught', from 'docere' meaning 'to teach'