meticulous
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
See painstaking.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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” ( see perilous)
Explanation
Someone who is meticulous pays extreme attention to detail. If that person is, say, your surgeon or your accountant, you'll definitely want them to be meticulous! The Latin root of meticulous is metus, which means "fear." Someone who's meticulous is afraid of what will happen if they're not careful enough to get every detail right. "Detail-oriented" and "perfectionist" are other ways of describing someone who cares deeply about the small things and about getting things exactly right, every time. Concert pianists must be meticulous, because audiences are always listening for wrong notes.
Vocabulary lists containing meticulous
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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List 2
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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.
Those close to Iraola say he is meticulous with routine, so it will be interesting to see how things change when he no longer has a whole week to prepare for a game.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
That is just one of the methods the meticulous Aston Villa boss uses to hone the mental discipline required at football's highest level.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Before Gomez purchased the property six years ago, it underwent a meticulous renovation and is now described as a “private celebrity compound” that “evokes a magical vision of romance, inspiration, and tranquility.”
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Roberts has been working with Saar for 15 years and it’s because of Saar’s meticulous compulsion to keep and collect that she feels like there is still more to learn and share about the artist.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
I came to depend heavily on Meredith but also equally on Johnny Wright, my fast-talking, hard-laughing hurricane of a hairdresser, and Carl Ray, my soft-spoken and meticulous makeup artist.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
