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fastidious

[ fa-stid-ee-uhs, fuh- ]
/ fæˈstɪd i əs, fə- /
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See synonyms for: fastidious / fastidiously / fastidiousness on Thesaurus.com

Definition of fastidious

adjective
excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please: a fastidious eater.
requiring or characterized by excessive care or delicacy; painstaking.
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Origin of fastidious

1375–1425; late Middle English <Latin fastīdiōsus squeamish, equivalent to fastīdi(um) lack of appetite, disgust, perhaps by syncope of *fastutīdium (fastu-, combining form of fastus pride, conceit + -tīdium combining form of taediumtedium) + -ōsus-ous

synonym study for fastidious

1. See particular.

OTHER WORDS FROM fastidious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to fastidious

choosy, discriminating, exacting, finicky, fussy, squeamish, captious, critical, dainty, demanding, difficult, finical, fussbudgety, hypercritical, nice, nit-picky, overdelicate, overnice, particular, persnickety

How to use fastidious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fastidious

fastidious
/ (fæˈstɪdɪəs) /
adjective
very critical; hard to please
excessively particular about details
exceedingly delicate; easily disgusted

Derived forms of fastidious

fastidiously, adverbfastidiousness, noun

Word Origin for fastidious

C15: from Latin fastīdiōsus scornful, from fastīdium loathing, from fastus pride + taedium weariness
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for fastidious

fastidious
[ fă-stĭd′ē-əs, fə- ]
adj.
Possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to detail.
Difficult to please; exacting.
Having complex nutritional requirements. Used of microorganisms.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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