What does pernickety mean?
Pernickety means (chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious..
Pernickety
/pəˈnɪk.ɪ.ti/ · adjective
Meaning
(chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious..
Definitions by Sense
- (chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious.
- Requiring attention to minor details.
Example Sentences
‘You must forgive me,’ he said. ‘I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink. It comes partly from being a bachelor, but mostly from a habit of taking a lot of trouble over details. It’s very pernickety and old-maidish really, but then when I’m working I generally have to eat my meals alone and it makes them more interesting when one takes trouble.’
Synonyms for pernickety
Antonyms for pernickety
Related Words
Word Forms
- more pernickety
- most pernickety
- persnickety
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for pernickety?
Common synonyms include niggly, persnickety, anal-retentive, choosy.
What is the opposite of pernickety?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use pernickety in a sentence?
‘You must forgive me,’ he said. ‘I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink. It comes partly from being a bachelor, but mostly from a habit of taking a lot of trouble over details. It’s very pernickety and old-maidish really, but then when I’m working I generally have to eat my meals alone and it makes them more interesting when one takes trouble.’
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.