Flagrant describes something shocking or obviously bad, especially when it breaks rules in a bold way. It suggests that the wrong behavior is not even trying to be hidden.
“Flagrant” comes from Latin “flagrans,” the present participle of “flagrare,” meaning “to burn or blaze.” The idea shifted from something literally blazing to a figurative sense of behavior that stands out glaringly.
When we say a foul in sports is “flagrant,” we’re literally calling it “blazing” or “on fire” in how obvious it is. The word suggests the bad action burns so brightly that no one can miss it.
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