cursory

[kur-suh-ree]

adjective

1. going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial.

   a cursory glance at a newspaper article.

   Synonyms: haphazard, passing, brief, quick

cursory

/ ˈkɜːsərɪ /

adjective

1. hasty and usually superficial; quick

   a cursory check

Other Word Forms

• cursorily adverb
• cursoriness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cursory¹

1595–1605; < Late Latin cursōrius running, equivalent to Latin cur ( rere ) to run + -sōrius, for -tōrius -tory ¹; course

Word History and Origins

Origin of cursory¹

C17: from Late Latin cursōrius of running, from Latin cursus a course, from currere to run

Example Sentences

She gave a cursory glance to the children—and then a second, far sterner look.

Read more on Literature

Reviewing analysts’ opinions of nuclear stocks, of course, is only a start; after the cursory review comes the harder work of understanding and valuing the individual businesses.

Read more on Barron's

Worth a Little Online Research: Even if you’re skeptical, always make time for a cursory Google search.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some online pharmacies are delivering drugs after a cursory phone consultation in the absence of a prescription.

Read more on BBC

When she was married, she had just a cursory participation in their married finances, but had to assume it all upon the husband’s passing.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• desultory 
• offhand 
• perfunctory 
• random 
• sketchy 
• superficial