different between lofty vs conspicuous

English

Etymology

From Middle English lofty, lofti, lofte (“of high rank; noble; ornate”), equivalent to loft +? -y; see loft (“sky, firmament; upper room”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• (General American) enPR: lôft?i, IPA^(key): /?l??fti/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• Rhymes: -?fti, -??fti

Adjective

lofty (comparative loftier, superlative loftiest)

1. high, tall, having great height or stature
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 551:

     When the night was half spent, I rose and walked on, till the day broke in all its beauty and the sun rose over the heads of the lofty hills and athwart the low gravelly plains.

2. idealistic, implying over-optimism

   a lofty goal

   • 2013, Delme Parfitt in Wales Online, Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win (3 November 2013)

     A goal from Steven Caulker, just after the hour mark, was enough to hand victory to Malky Mackay's men, with Swansea falling some way short of the lofty standards they have set previously at this level.

3. extremely proud; arrogant; haughty
   • F. Harrison

     that lofty pity with which prosperous folk are apt to remember their grandfathers

Synonyms

• (having great height or stature): noble, honorable

Antonyms

• (having great height or stature): mean, ignoble
• (idealistic): familiar, vulgar

Related terms

• loft
• aloft

Translations

English

Etymology

From Latin conspicuus (“visible, striking”), from c?nspicere (“to notice”), from con- (“with, together”) + specere (“to look at”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?sp?k.ju.?s/

Adjective

conspicuous (comparative more conspicuous, superlative most conspicuous)

1. Obvious or easy to notice.
2. Noticeable or attracting attention, especially if unattractive.
   • 1969, Saul Bellow, Mr Sammler's Planet, Penguin Books Ltd, page 6:

     For his height he had a small face. The combination made him conspicuous.

Synonyms

• (easy to notice): observable, perceivable; see also Thesaurus:perceptible
• (attracting attention): flashy, prominent

Antonyms

• (all): inconspicuous

Related terms

• conspicuity
• conspicuousness

Translations

Further reading

• w:Conspicuous consumption
• w:Conspicuous leisure
• conspicuous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• conspicuous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• conspicuous at OneLook Dictionary Search