Egregious, from the Latin egregius, meaning “illustrious” or literally “standing out from the flock” is a term used to describe a conduct that is flagrant, or outrageous in comparison to a normal standard of conduct. In general, the term egregious is used to describe a conduct by a person intentionally committing an act or omission that involves knowing the violation of law. In a legal context, egregious conduct refers to an action that is obviously wrong, beyond a reasonable degree. The term can be used to describe a conduct of a party to a legal action, its attorney(s) or any other legal professional, or the court itself. Egregious behavior is considered in order to bring to an end the person’s actions, or to introduce a request for increased damages.
[Last updated in April of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]