German word

auffällig

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʊ̯fˌfɛːlɪç/

Meaning

  • adjectiveeye-catching

Example

Sie trägt ein auffälliges Kleid.

She is wearing an eye-catching dress.

Illustration for auffällig (eye-catching)

More examples

Das Make-up ist auffällig, aber geschmackvoll.

The makeup is eye-catching, but tasteful.

Core concept

Someone behaves or appears differently enough from others to become the focus of attention.

Common phrases

  • auffälliges Make-up

    eye-catching makeup

  • auffällige Farbe

    striking color

Similar words

auffallend: Highly conspicuous and immediately attention-grabbing.
ausgefallen: Unusual, creative, and eye-catching rather than ordinary.
markant: Clearly distinctive in form or character and easy to remember.
außergewöhnlich: Especially unusual or uncommon compared with the ordinary.

Definition in German

so, dass etwas durch ungewöhnliche Erscheinung oder Verhalten die Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht.

Word origin

Auffällig is derived from the separable verb auffallen, literally built from auf and fallen, plus -ig to form an adjective.

Usage tips

  • With people, auffällig may describe either striking appearance or behavior that seems abnormal, so context determines its tone.

Other meanings

  • flashyadjective
  • strikingadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word