cursory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cursory
1595–1605; < Late Latin cursōrius running, equivalent to Latin cur ( rere ) to run + -sōrius, for -tōrius -tory 1; cf. course
Explanation
No reason to get excited — cursory has nothing to do with bad language. Instead, it means not paying attention to details, like friends who are so busy studying for a test that they only give your new haircut a cursory glance. Cursory dates to the early 17th century, from the French word cursoire meaning "rapid," which comes from the Latin word cursorius, meaning "hasty, of a race or running." Something that is cursory is done quickly. A teacher might take a cursory look at a pile of completed tests, not to grade them, but to see if anyone attempted the bonus questions.
Vocabulary lists containing cursory
Grade 12, List 1
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Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
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100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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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.
The man on the door outside only took a cursory look at my ticket from what must have been six feet away.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
My general understanding of book clubs had, to that point, been cursory.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“But the claim that our country is uniquely aggressive in childhood vaccination collapses under even cursory international comparison,” it concluded.
From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026
In interviews, some surrogates said they felt the agencies rushed their screenings or did cursory reviews of their backgrounds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025
We were subjected to a very cursory pat-down in the prison lobby by a male officer before being admitted through the barred gate to the main prison area.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
