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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

Fastidious

Adjective

IPA /fæˈstɪdiəs/

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Meaning in plain English

Very attentive to detail; hard to please due to high standards.

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Pronunciation

Fastidious/fæˈstɪdiəs/

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  1. Examine every tiny detail

  2. Accept only a very high standard

A fastidious person is very particular about details and quality.

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  1. The chef was fastidious about every ingredient that went into his signature dish.
  2. Our fastidious editor checks every quotation before an article is published.

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The chef was ________ about every ingredient that went into his signature dish.
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Fastidious — Very attentive to detail; hard to please due to high standards.

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Very attentive to detail; hard to please due to high standards.

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Word origin

From Latin fastidiosus (“disdainful, squeamish”), from fastidium (“disgust, aversion”).

Did you know?

Fastidious can be praise for meticulous care—or criticism for nitpicking perfectionism.

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Fastidious

/fæˈstɪdiəs/ (Adjective)

“Fastidious can suggest admirable attention to detail or standards that are difficult to satisfy, depending on context.”

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