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finicky

or fin·nick·y, fin·i·king

[ fin-i-kee ]
/ ˈfɪn ɪ ki /
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adjective, fin·ick·i·er, fin·ick·i·est.

excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please; fussy.

RELATED WORDS

choosy, squeamish, fastidious, scrupulous, fussy, critical, dainty, difficult, nice, persnickety, picky, finical, fussbudget, nit-picking, overnice

Nearby words

  1. fingo,
  2. fini,
  3. finial,
  4. finical,
  5. finick,
  6. fining,
  7. finis,
  8. finis coronat opus,
  9. finish,
  10. finish line

Origin of finicky

First recorded in 1815–25; finick + -y1
Related formssu·per·fin·ick·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for finicky

British Dictionary definitions for finicky

finicky

finicking

/ (ˈfɪnɪkɪ) /

adjective

excessively particular, as in tastes or standards; fussy
full of trivial detail; overelaborate

Word Origin for finicky

C19: from finical
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
Word Origin and History for finicky

finicky

adj.

1825, "dainty, mincing," from finical "too particular" (1590s), perhaps from fine (adj.) + -ical as in cynical, ironical. The -k- between the final -c- and a suffix beginning in -i, -y, or -e is an orthographic rule to mark the pronunciation of -c- as "k" (cf. picnicking, trafficking, panicky, shellacked).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper