Persnickety: meaning, definitions and examples

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persnickety

 

[ pərˈsnɪk.ɪ.ti ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

behavior, attitude

Persnickety describes someone who is overly fussy or particular about details, often in a way that is annoying to others. This term is used to indicate that a person pays excessive attention to minor details, showing a lack of flexibility.

Synonyms

finicky, fussy, particular, picky

Examples of usage

  • She is so persnickety about her work that she spends hours on trivial tasks.
  • His persnickety nature made it hard to plan a simple outing.
  • The restaurant is known for its persnickety chefs who insist on perfect presentation.

Translations

Translations of the word "persnickety" in other languages:

🇵🇹 exigente

🇮🇳 छोटी-छोटी बातों पर ध्यान देने वाला

🇩🇪 pingelig

🇮🇩 cerewet

🇺🇦 вибагливий

🇵🇱 wybredny

🇯🇵 こだわりのある

🇫🇷 pointilleux

🇪🇸 exigente

🇹🇷 titiz

🇰🇷 까다로운

🇸🇦 مُتطلب

🇨🇿 vybíravý

🇸🇰 vyberavý

🇨🇳 挑剔的

🇸🇮 izbirčen

🇮🇸 kröppur

🇰🇿 талғампаз

🇬🇪 მოწიწწილი

🇦🇿 tələbkar

🇲🇽 exigente

Word origin

The word 'persnickety' is believed to have originated in the United States in the late 19th century. It is thought to be a blend of the Scottish word 'persnick' which means 'to show off' or 'to prance about', and possibly other influences from the vernacular of the time. The term gained traction in American English to describe individuals who are overly particular or fussy, with a connotation of being somewhat pretentious in their attention to detail. Its usage has remained fairly consistent, often appearing in informal contexts to describe people who are excessively meticulous about their preferences or standards.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,258, 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.