outrageous English · revision 39703

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a1325, Statutes of the Realm|origins=la ultrā}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /aʊtˈɹeɪ.d͡ʒəs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|xno|outrageus]], which was also the Old French form (modern French [[m|fr|outrageux]]),^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) recorded in Old French from about 1165,^(OED 2026) and formed on [[m|fro|outrage|t=excess]] with the suffix [[m|fro|-eus]] ([[-ous]]).^(OED 2026)^(ODE 2010)^(MWU 2024) The French noun comes from [[la-vul|*ultrāticum|t=excess]], from [[la|ultrā|t=beyond]],^(Etymonline) which Etymonline traces to [[ine-pro|*al-|t=beyond]].^(Etymonline) Etymonline notes that the meaning of ''outrage'' narrowed towards violent excess through a folk etymology from [[out]] and [[rage]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of an act, grossly cruel or unjust, a gross violation of morality or decency: a1325, in the Statutes of the Realm.^(OED 2026) Etymonline, the Shorter Oxford and Merriam-Webster give the sense "excessive, extravagant, immoderate" as the first,^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) and Etymonline dates it to about 1300; the Anglo-Norman word already had both senses.^(Etymonline)^(AND)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Chaucer (c1390) the word meant both violent or unrestrained in action and going beyond reasonable limits, extravagant;^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates "flagrantly evil, atrocious" to the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) As an adverb, "extremely", it was used from 1487 to 1678.^(OED 2026) The sense "going beyond the bounds of conventional behaviour; daring, provocative" is recorded from 1778, in Fanny Burney's ''Evelina'',^(OED 2026) and Etymonline remarks that modern teenage slang uses of the word unknowingly come close to the original sense of excess.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a1325 – grossly cruel, unjust or offensive.^(OED 2026)

+ * c1390 – violent, unrestrained; excessive, extravagant, in Chaucer.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1487 – adverb, extremely (obsolete by 1678).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1778 – daringly unconventional, shocking, in Fanny Burney.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Grossly [[offensive]], [[unjust]] or cruel; shocking: ''an outrageous attack on unarmed people''.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # Far beyond what is reasonable or usual; [[extravagant]] or [[exorbitant]]: ''They charged an outrageous price for a sandwich.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # Boldly unconventional or provocative: ''He was known for his outrageous stage costumes.''^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ # (now rare) Violent or unrestrained in behaviour.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[outrageously]]

+ * [[outrageousness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[outrage]]

+ * [[ultra]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Dictionary.com refers ''outrageous'' to its synonym study at ''flagrant''.^(Dictionary.com 2016)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}