cursory

[ kur-suh-ree ]

adjective

1. going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial:

   a cursory glance at a newspaper article.

   Synonyms: haphazard, passing, brief, quick

cursory

/ ˈkɜːsərɪ /

adjective

1. hasty and usually superficial; quick

   a cursory check

Derived Forms

• ˈcursoriness, noun
• ˈcursorily, adverb

Other Words From

• curso·ri·ly adverb
• curso·ri·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cursory¹

1595–1605; < Late Latin cursōrius running, equivalent to Latin cur ( rere ) to run + -sōrius, for -tōrius -tory ¹; course

Word History and Origins

Origin of cursory¹

C17: from Late Latin cursōrius of running, from Latin cursus a course, from currere to run

Example Sentences

It isn’t a skepticism that encourages consulting accredited experts or peer-reviewed research, tracking down solid sources or anything beyond cursory searches.

From Salon

I never asked Lalas whom he voted for and he never asked me, but a cursory glance at social media makes it obvious our ballots canceled each other out.

From Los Angeles Times

While the agreement has not been confirmed by either party, the cursory details reported make a semblance of sense.

From BBC

And astrology too, of which he has a more than cursory understanding.

From Los Angeles Times

The otolaryngologists I saw at three major university hospitals took a cursory look in my ears and then sent me on my way.

From Salon

Related Words

• desultory
• offhand
• perfunctory
• random
• sketchy
• superficial