meticulous
Americanadjective
Related Words
See painstaking.
Other Word Forms
- meticulosity noun
- meticulously adverb
- meticulousness noun
- unmeticulous adjective
- unmeticulousness noun
Etymology
Origin of meticulous
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin metīculōsus “full of fear, fearful,” equivalent to metī- for metū- (stem of metus “fear”) + -culōsus, extracted from perīculōsus “dangerous” ( perilous )
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.
When he reached the end of the book, he went through it again, tracing a claw across every crude drawing, over every meticulous map, past every misspelled word.
From Literature
Even the most meticulous definitions are temporary guides to a language that refuses to stand still.
And thanks to his keen eye and meticulous attention to detail, we’re granted the privilege of sharing these rich, formative experiences with him—at a comfortable remove.
“They are very systematic and meticulous in this regard.”
The less scrupulous voices also invade Beverly’s meticulous household like bulls in a suburban china shop.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
