meticulous

[ muh-tik-yuh-luhs ]

adjective

1. taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough:

   a meticulous craftsman;

   meticulous personal appearance.

   Synonyms: scrupulous, strict, exact

   Antonyms: careless

2. finicky; fussy:

   meticulous adherence to technicalities.

   Antonyms: careless

meticulous

/ mɪˈtɪkjʊləs /

adjective

1. very precise about details, even trivial ones; painstaking

Derived Forms

• meˈticulousness, noun
• meˈticulously, adverb

Other Words From

• me·tic·u·lous·ly adverb
• me·tic·u·los·i·ty [m, uh, -tik-y, uh, -, los, -i-tee], me·tic·u·lous·ness noun
• un·me·tic·u·lous adjective
• un·me·tic·u·lous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of meticulous¹

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” ( perilous )

Word History and Origins

Origin of meticulous¹

C16 (meaning: timid): from Latin meticulōsus fearful, from metus fear

Synonym Study

See painstaking.

Example Sentences

The late Craig Brown was as dedicated as he was meticulous as Scotland manager.

From BBC

Quinn is meticulous about the food served at his restaurant — as all chefs should be.

From Salon

“What I found intriguing was you have these two characters, both of whom are meticulous and obsessive and relentless and talented and two sides of the same coin, on this one-way path to collision,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times

“Where Eve once seemed wild and inspired to Joan,” writes Anolik, “she now seemed slack and slothful. Where Joan once seemed meticulous and masterly to Eve, she now seemed dogged and doctrinaire.”

From Los Angeles Times

He’s more meticulous than I am, but I recognize his desire for perfection.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accurate
• cautious
• conscientious
• exact
• fastidious
• fussy
• painstaking
• precise
• scrupulous
• strict
• thorough