Shockingly bad or excessive; wildly unreasonable or offensive. Can also mean remarkably bold or startling in a positive sense.
From Old French 'outrageus,' derived from 'outrage' meaning excess or violence, ultimately from Latin 'ultra' (beyond). The word originally described actions that went beyond acceptable limits, evolving to include both negative and positive extremes.
What's fascinating is how 'outrageous' has undergone semantic broadening - it can now express both moral indignation ('outrageous behavior') and delighted amazement ('outrageously talented'). The same word that once only condemned excess now also celebrates it when we're impressed by someone's audacity.
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