fastidious

[ fa-stid-ee-uhs, fuh- ]

adjective

1. excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please:

   a fastidious eater.

2. requiring or characterized by excessive care or delicacy; painstaking.

fastidious

/ fæˈstɪdɪəs /

adjective

1. very critical; hard to please
2. excessively particular about details
3. exceedingly delicate; easily disgusted

Derived Forms

• fasˈtidiousness, noun
• fasˈtidiously, adverb

Other Words From

• fas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• fas·tidi·ous·ness noun
• hyper·fas·tidi·ous adjective
• hyper·fas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• hyper·fas·tidi·ous·ness noun
• nonfas·tidi·ous adjective
• nonfas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• nonfas·tidi·ous·ness noun
• over·fas·tidi·ous adjective
• over·fas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• over·fas·tidi·ous·ness noun
• ultra·fas·tidi·ous adjective
• ultra·fas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• ultra·fas·tidi·ous·ness noun
• unfas·tidi·ous adjective
• unfas·tidi·ous·ly adverb
• unfas·tidi·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fastidious¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin fastīdiōsus “squeamish,” from fastīdi(um) “lack of appetite, disgust” (perhaps from fastu(s) “pride, conceit” + -tīdium, combining form of taedium tedium ) + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of fastidious¹

C15: from Latin fastīdiōsus scornful, from fastīdium loathing, from fastus pride + taedium weariness

Synonym Study

See particular.

Example Sentences

The play, about a fanciful tour guide of a dull and stately English country house who runs into conflict with a factually fastidious official at the historic property, was almost immaterial.

From Los Angeles Times

Pairing with Snoop helped put the fastidious chef and crafter in front of a younger, hipper audience, while the grandmotherly Stewart assisted in making the rapper approachable for a wider range of consumers.

From Los Angeles Times

Some experts have surmised that it has less to do with a set of imagined beliefs or practices and more with the sense of routine that is innately bound up in Olympic-level sports — mental fortitude and fastidious training both require diligence and consistency.

From Salon

Fastidious and ambitious, he earned the nickname “Saint Michael” from city councilmembers for his focus on ethics.

From Los Angeles Times

And more realistic advice: “Not all weeds are equally troublesome. You probably have limited time and energy to devote to creating a weed-free environment. Unless you’re one of those extremely fastidious gardeners who wants everything looking perfect and weed-free all the time, you’re going to have to prioritize.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• choosy
• discriminating
• exacting
• finicky
• fussy
• squeamish