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Captiously: meaning, definitions and examples

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captiously

 

[ ˈkæpʃəsli ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

critical description

Captiously refers to the act of making petty or trivial criticisms. When someone is being captious, they tend to find fault with even the smallest details, often in a way that is unreasonable or malicious. This behavior can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts in communication, as the focus shifts from constructive feedback to nitpicking. Captiousness may be used in various settings, including debates, friendly discussions, or even in professional environments, where an overly critical attitude can hinder collaboration.

Synonyms

fussily, nitpicking, pettily

Examples of usage

  • She is often captiously pointing out flaws in others' presentations.
  • His captiously critical nature annoyed his colleagues.
  • The review was captiously written, focusing only on minor mistakes.

Translations

Translations of the word "captiously" in other languages:

🇵🇹 captiosamente

🇮🇳 चिढ़ाने वाले

🇩🇪 sarkastisch

🇮🇩 menyindir

🇺🇦 докучливо

🇵🇱 złośliwie

🇯🇵 皮肉な

🇫🇷 captieusement

🇪🇸 capciosamente

🇹🇷 kandırıcı bir şekilde

🇰🇷 교묘하게

🇸🇦 بشكل ماكر

🇨🇿 krytickým způsobem

🇸🇰 záludne

🇨🇳 巧妙地

🇸🇮 zavodljivo

🇮🇸 skapandi

🇰🇿 алдау

🇬🇪 მალევე

🇦🇿 aldadıcı şəkildə

🇲🇽 capciosamente

Word origin

The term 'captiously' is derived from the word 'captious', which emerged in the early 17th century. The root 'capt' comes from the Latin 'capere', meaning 'to seize'. The suffix '-ous' indicates a quality or state related to being full of a certain quality. The original connotation of 'captious' was to denote someone who was cunning or prone to tricks, reflecting a mindset focused on finding fault. Over time, this evolved to its current meaning, emphasizing overly critical behavior aimed at finding minor errors or making trivial accusations. Thus, 'captiously' carries with it a sense of unjust and excessive criticism that can be detrimental in various social and professional contexts.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,736, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.