pedantry

American  

[ped-n-tree] / ˈpɛd n tri /

noun

plural

pedantries

1. the character, qualities, practices, etc., of a pedant, especially undue display of learning.

2. slavish attention to rules, details, etc.

3. an instance of being pedantic.

   the pedantries of modern criticism.

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pedantry British  

/ ˈpɛdəntrɪ /

noun

1. the habit or an instance of being a pedant, esp in the display of useless knowledge or minute observance of petty rules or details

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Etymology

Origin of pedantry

First recorded in 1575–85, pedantry is from the Italian word pedanteria. See pedant, -ry

Explanation

You know that person who is always interrupting other people, correcting their grammar or their facts? That's pedantry, or inappropriately showing off your knowledge. The noun pedantry refers to the behavior of a pedant, which comes from the French word pédant, meaning “schoolmaster.” While it is a schoolmaster's job to ensure that students learn, someone who is guilty of pedantry just seems to brag, using his or her knowledge to get attention or seem better educated than the people around him or her.

Example Sentences

Such pedantry is perhaps why Malaysian durians have earned a special place on the Chinese table.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Here’s my favorite recent example of this sort of unhelpful pedantry:

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2024

Even now, lawmakers take this responsibility with a seriousness sometimes bordering on pedantry.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024

His outlook isn’t rooted purely in rigid pedantry, either: It’s based on his taste, but it’s also tied to what he’s accomplished through a very specific approach.

From Washington Post • Jun. 17, 2022

This logician would be unbearably pedantic, but there is a grain of good taste in the pedantry.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker