cursory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
But maybe the world isn’t giving more than a cursory look; maybe it’s hardly looking at all.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
"The man on the door outside only took a cursory look at my ticket from what must have been six feet away," he wrote.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
My general understanding of book clubs had, to that point, been cursory.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Anyone with even a cursory understanding of the aircraft, or simply the ability to use Google and follow basic facts, could have arrived at that conclusion.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
After I take a shower, and Johanna sort of wipes herself down with a damp cloth, she makes a cursory inspection of the place.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
