I.sup.: mulier egregiissimă formă, Pac. ap. Prisc. 3, p. 600 fin. P.; Rib. Fragm. Trag. p. 105: “egregiissime grammatice,” Gell. 14, 5, 3.—Vocat.: “egregi or egregie,” Gell. 14, 5, 1 sq.), adj. ex-grex, Corss. Ausspr. 1, 504; hence, chosen from the herd, i. e., distinguished, surpassing, excellent, eminent (for syn. cf.: praeclarus, eximius, divinus, magnificus).
I. In gen. (class.): “in procuratione civitatis, egregius,” Cic. de Or. 1, 49, 215; cf.: “in bellica laude,” id. Brut. 21, 84: “in aliis artibus,” Sall. J. 82, 2: “vir,” Cic. Lael. 19, 69: “civis,” id. Brut. 25, 95: “poëta,” id. de Or. 1, 3, 11: “senatus,” Liv. 2, 49: “par consulum,” id. 27, 34: “Caesar,” Hor. C. 1, 6, 11; 3, 25, 4 et saep.: “et praeclara indoles ad dicendum,” Cic. de Or. 1, 29; cf. id. Phil. 1, 1, 2; Tac. Or. 9: “forma,” Ter. And. 1, 1, 45; cf. “facies,” id. Phorm. 1, 2, 50: “colores, odores,” Lucr. 5, 739; Cic. Fin. 2, 20, 64: “corpus,” i. e. exceedingly beautiful, Hor. S. 1, 6, 67; Ov. Tr. 5, 13, 14: “os,” id. H. 4, 78 et saep.: “virtus,” Caes. B. G. 1, 28, 5: “fides,” id. ib. 1, 19, 2: “voluntas in se,” id. ib. 5, 4, 3: “victoria,” Liv. 2, 47 et saep.: “vir bello egregius,” Liv. 5, 47; cf. id. 7, 6; Tac. Agr. 14; Ov. M. 5, 49.—With gen.: “animi,” Verg. A. 11, 417; so, fati mentisque Stat. Th. 3, 99: “linguae,” Sil. 5, 77: “egregii juvenum,” Stat. Th. 2, 152.—In the neutr. subst.: “ut alia magna et egregia tua omittam,” Sall. J. 10, 2: “postquam cuncta scelerum suorum pro egregiis accipi videt,” for distinguished acts, Tac. A. 14, 60; cf. the foll.—
II. Post - Aug., esp. of rank and consequence, distinguished, illustrious, honorable: “si te privatus adoptarem, et mihi egregium erat Gnaei Pompeii subolem in penates meos asciscere, et, etc.,” Tac. H. 1, 15; cf.: “idque et sibi et cunctis egregium,” id. A. 3, 6.—Subst.: ēgrĕgĭum , ii, n.: “egregium publicum,” the public honor, Tac. A. 3, 70 fin.—Hence, Egrĕgĭus , ii, m., a title of public officers in high station, similar to His Excellency, Cod. Th. 6, 22, 1; and: “Vir Egregius,” Inscr. Grut. 89, 4; 345, 3 et saep.; cf. Lact. 5, 14 fin.—Hence, adv.: ēgrĕgĭe , excellently, eminently; surpassingly, exceedingly, singularly; uncommonly well (cf.: eximie, unice, praesertim ; praecipue, maxime, potissimum, etc.).
(α).
With verbs: “studere (opp. mediocriter),” Ter. And. 1, 1, 31: “pingere, fingere,” Cic. Brut. 73 fin.: “loqui,” id. Fin. 2, 6 fin.: “vincere,” brilliantly, Liv. 21, 40; cf. “absolvi,” id. 9, 26 et saep.—Far more freq.,
(β).
With adjectives: egregie cordatus homo, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 18 (Ann. v. 335 ed. Vahl.): “fortis et bonus imperator,” Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 268: “subtilis scriptor,” id. Brut. 9: “munitum oppidum,” Caes. B. G. 2, 29, 2; cf. id. ib. 5, 9, 4; 5, 11, 7 et saep.—
(γ).
Absol., as an expression of assent, applause, etc.: “egregie, Caesar, quod lacrimas parentum vectigales esse non pateris,” Plin. Pan. 38, 3; cf. Suet. Vit. 10.—Comp.: “egregius cenat,” Juv. 11, 12.
