observant
/əbˈzəːv(ə)nt
/adjective
1Quick to notice or perceive things: her observant eye took in every detail...
- The problem with their arguments, as observant readers will have noticed, is that their figures are rather shaky.
- The observant may have noticed that the colour scheme of my blog broadly matches the colour scheme of my study, pictured below.
- I, being an observant person, had noticed that I had not been asked for a bribe lately.
Synonyms
alert, sharp-eyed, sharp, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed, with eyes like a hawk, keen-eyed, watchful, on the lookout, on the qui vive, on guard, attentive, vigilant, with one's eyes open/peeled/skinned, awake, heedful, mindful, focused, aware
informal beady-eyed, not missing a trick, on the ball
rare regardful
2Adhering strictly to the rules of a particular religion, especially Judaism: an observant Jew...
- He wears a distinctive black outfit and is strictly observant of religious laws.
- That can't be said for other religiously observant people in the public square.
- Tony teases Reuven over his observant religious practice and wonders if he'll become a priest one day.
Synonyms
practising, obedient, dutiful, conformist, conforming;
committed, devout, orthodox, law-abiding
noun
(Observant) historical A member of a branch of the Franciscan order that followed a strict rule.A classic example was the Franciscan Observant friar Bernardino of Siena, whose cult of the name of Jesus, employing what were effectively magical tablets, sparked off accusations of heresy....
- He joined the extremely strict Observant order and excelled in their discipline.
- At the end of the 15th century six houses of Observants were established, three being transfers from Conventual friaries.
Origin
Late Middle English (as a noun): from French, literally 'watching', present participle of observer (see observe).