punctilio

American  

[puhngk-til-ee-oh] / pʌŋkˈtɪl iˌoʊ /

noun

plural

punctilios

1. a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.

2. strictness or exactness in the observance of formalities or amenities.

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punctilio British  

/ pʌŋkˈtɪlɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. strict attention to minute points of etiquette

2. a petty formality or fine point of etiquette

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Etymology

Origin of punctilio

First recorded in 1590–1600; alteration of Italian puntiglio, from Spanish puntillo, diminutive of punto, from Latin pūnctum point

Explanation

Any custom of etiquette can be called a punctilio, especially if it seems a bit silly. Your grandfather's punctilio of announcing his name when he answers the phone might seem silly to you. Men holding doors open for women seems pretty old fashioned to many young people — and a little bit sexist, too. Some older men, however, will stick to this punctilio because they feel it would be rude not to do it. Punctilio comes from the Spanish puntillo, or "little point."

Example Sentences

They combined, then as now, a wild bureaucratic adherence to punctilio and procedure with entanglements of cohort and clan that could shortcut the procedure in a moment.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 8, 2017

There lingers, even in our mercantile age, an admiration for the aristocratic ethos, the punctilio, of the duel.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2015

Protocol, punctilio, politesse suddenly drop, leaving Tennyson’s “Nature, red in tooth and claw.”

From BusinessWeek • Sep. 29, 2011

The Navy's top command, with a few exceptions, exemplifies the insulation, compartmented authority, punctilio which make up "the military mind."

From Time Magazine Archive

It had been a knotty question with the chief samurai, who acted as master of the ceremonies, as to the exact shade of punctilio which it would be fitting to employ on the occasion.

From The Curse of Koshiu A Chronicle of Old Japan by Wingfield, Lewis