picky

American  

[pik-ee] / ˈpɪk i /

adjective

pickier, pickiest

1. extremely fussy or finicky, usually over trifles.

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picky British  

/ ˈpɪkɪ /

adjective

1. informal fussy; finicky; choosy

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Other Word Forms

• pickily adverb
• pickiness noun

Etymology

Origin of picky

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

Explanation

If you're extremely particular or fussy, you're picky. A picky eater might only eat chicken nuggets and tater tots. When you invite your picky friend to dinner, you'll probably have a hard time deciding what to serve, since she hates all vegetables; and if you're picky about sleeping in a comfortable, clean place, you might not be a fan of camping. Picky people are hard to please — they like things to be a certain way. This informal word first appeared in the 1860s.

Example Sentences

Bhaduri was picky and proud but emphatically said, "I refuse to apologise for love."

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Vanguard Wellington does own some of these, she says, but adds that she’s picky because yields don’t always reflect all the new debt these companies have been taking on.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The concept of being picky was born, though it was still so new a word that food marketers put it in quotation marks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

If you’re feeding picky eaters, let everyone choose one thing they love.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

“But he’s kind of picky about who he gives it to. I mean, he can’t give it to everyone, you know?”

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman