picky
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of picky
Explanation
If you're extremely particular or fussy, you're picky. A picky eater might only eat chicken nuggets and tater tots. When you invite your picky friend to dinner, you'll probably have a hard time deciding what to serve, since she hates all vegetables; and if you're picky about sleeping in a comfortable, clean place, you might not be a fan of camping. Picky people are hard to please — they like things to be a certain way. This informal word first appeared in the 1860s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Picky eating can become a problem if it leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies — especially if you're avoiding entire food groups, such as vegetables.
From Salon • Nov. 27, 2023
Picky eating is one of those challenges that’s practically guaranteed to make parents go bananas.
From Washington Post • May 31, 2022
Picky eaters, vegetarians, and cookie connoisseurs, to name a few, can be tough when it comes to wowing their discerning palates.
From Fox News • Dec. 10, 2021
Fleshman began to see the potential in a new coaching model for women in 2010 when she began exploring who she was outside of athletics, by co-founding Picky Bars and co-authoring a training journal.
From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2020
"Picky, isn't he? Okay. Let's get this over with. I'm so jet-lagged I can hardly keep my eyes open."
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
