meticulous
adjective
Did you know?
Meticulous Has Fearful Roots
It may surprise you to learn that meticulous is derived from the Latin word for "fearful"—meticulosus—and ultimately comes from the Latin noun metus, meaning "fear." Although meticulous currently has no "fearful" meanings, it was originally used as a synonym of "frightened" and "timid." This sense had fallen into disuse by 1700, and in the 19th century meticulous acquired a new sense of "overly and timidly careful" (probably influenced by the French word méticuleux). This in turn led to the current meaning of "painstakingly careful," with no connotations of fear at all. The newest use was controversial among some usage commentators at first, but it has since become by far the most common meaning and is no longer considered an error.
Synonyms
- careful
- conscientious
- fussy
- loving
- painstaking
- scrupulous
Example Sentences
Minette Walters, Fox Evil, 2002 She was very much the craftswoman, all her work meticulous, slow, perfect. Simon Winchester, The Professor and the Madman, 1998 In dense, meticulous arguments … Brooten mounts an assault on that view. Cullen Murphy, Atlantic, August 1993 He described the scene in meticulous detail. He is meticulous about keeping accurate records. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2022 And that process, while rather free-form, was incredibly meticulous. Biju Sukumaran, Chron, 7 Sep. 2022 Michelle Cain, the mother of a 9-year-old and 6-year-old twins in a Chicago suburb, is meticulous in her search for bargains. Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2022 Everything is very methodical, and everything is very meticulous, intended to keep ourselves as safe as possible. Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 19 July 2022 Dominic had always been meticulous, even as a child, making his bed of his own accord since age 4. Kiera Feldmanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2022 Along with maintaining a responsible carbon footprint, meticulous attention to detail was critical for the pair. Antonia Debianchi, PEOPLE.com, 15 June 2022 Higashioka and Trevino are collaborators whose meticulous attention to detail and studious preparation have immediately paid dividends for the pitchers. Wayne G. Mcdonnell, Jr., Forbes, 13 June 2022 That’s because it was built in 1904 and throughout the years, the owners have paid meticulous attention to preserving its original grandeur. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 7 June 2022 See More Word History
earlier, "fearful," borrowed from Latin metīculōsus, metūculōsus "timid, apprehensive," from metū-, stem of metus "fear, dread" (of uncertain origin) + -culōsus (in perīculōsus "involving danger, perilous")
Note: The senses "overscrupulous," then "careful, scrupulous" may depend on French méticuleux, for which these meanings are attested somewhat earlier than in English.
1827, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
meticulous
adjective
meticulous
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- careful
- conscientious
- diligent
- loving
- painstaking
- scrupulous
- thorough
- cautious
- intensive
- assiduous
- thoughtful
- patient
- fussy
- strict
- watchful
- indefatigable
- exhaustive
- vigilant
- persevering
- thoroughgoing
- attentive
- sedulous
- fastidious
- particular
- circumspect
- deliberate
- mindful
- accurate
- precise
- finicky
- observant
- exacting
- wary
- critical
- zealous
- tireless
- heedful
- chary
- tenacious
- guarded
- discriminating
- slow
- determined
- studied
- demanding
- plodding
- gingerly
- dogged
- alert
- exact
- all-out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- careless
- cursory
- regardless
- negligent
- slipshod
- sloppy
- lax
- heedless
- inattentive
- slovenly
- halfhearted
- mindless
- neglectful
- imprecise
- incautious
- unsafe
- uncritical
- reckless
- inaccurate
- unwary
- unguarded
- bold
- impetuous
- undiscriminating
- lackadaisical
- lazy
- undemanding
- indifferent
- rash
- apathetic
- lazyish
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of meticulous are careful, punctilious, and scrupulous. While all these words mean "showing close attention to detail," meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points.
The words careful and meticulous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes.
The meanings of punctilious and meticulous largely overlap; however, punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points.
In some situations, the words scrupulous and meticulous are roughly equivalent. However, scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical.