pernickety

From Scots pernickety, persnickety, of uncertain origin; the Dictionary of the Scots Language says that it resembles per- (“intensifying prefix”) + nick, but might be derived from particular + finicky with the form influenced by past participles ending in -et, -it, -ed.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pəˈnɪk.ɪ.ti/, /pəˈnɪk.ə.ti/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /pəˈnɪk.ə.ti/,
• Rhymes: -ɪkɪti, -ɪkəti

pernickety (comparative more pernickety, superlative most pernickety)

1. (chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious.

   Synonyms: niggly, (US) persnickety; see also Thesaurus:fastidious

   • 1953, Ian Fleming, chapter 8, in Casino Royale, page 48:

     ‘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.’

2. Requiring attention to minor details.