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

Very rarely, though, that fastidious and precise pulse deteriorates into a disorganized scramble.

From The Daily Beast

Jeffries is apparently a frequent flyer as well as a fastidious and exacting one.

From The Daily Beast

But I can attest first hand: one lapse aside, Fareed is just such a fastidious writer.

From The Daily Beast

So that fastidious snuff-takers may dismiss this bugbear at once and forever.

From Project Gutenberg

It is one of the finest burning tobaccos in the world, and does not fail to suit the taste of the most fastidious of smokers.

From Project Gutenberg

Had she, so observant, so discerning in her fastidious taste—had she failed to notice the small detail too?

From Project Gutenberg

There are a great many obscene minds, yet more railing and satirical, but very few fastidious ones.

From Project Gutenberg

He was slow and fastidious in composition, and the poem suffered from over-elaboration.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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