picky

[pik-ee]

adjective

pickier, pickiest 

1. extremely fussy or finicky, usually over trifles.

picky

/ ˈpɪkɪ /

adjective

1. informal,  fussy; finicky; choosy

Other Word Forms

• pickiness noun
• pickily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of picky¹

First recorded in 1865–70; pick ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

What he found was that Salterella may have been small, but it was picky about its materials.

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Young adults with lesser pedigrees may not be as picky about jobs because they can’t afford to be.

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Many homeowners are struggling to sell their homes, as buyers are getting more picky.

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“This is a discouraging thing for me to say, but with the job market the way it is, employers can be very picky,” says Rachel Kargas, a recruiter in the Denver area.

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Barred owls — which originally hail from eastern North America — are larger, more aggressive and less picky when it comes to habitat and food, giving them an edge when vying for resources.

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