persnickety |pərˈsnikətē|adjective informalplacing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy : persnickety gardeners | she's very persnickety about her food.• requiring a particularly precise or careful approach : it's hard to find a film more persnickety and difficult to use than black-and-white infrared.ORIGIN early 19th cent. (originally Scots): of unknownorigin.
Lovely word. Conjures up and image of a maiden aunt with a sharp nose and severe expression, pruning roses.
I use this one regularly. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to start doing that.
DeleteI mean, if I successfully used "bucolic" in conversation today, you can certainly use "persnickety". :)
DeleteI was sure that this was a very American word - I associate it with Anne of Green Gables and Little Women and that type of book - so I was surprised to see that it was originally Scots.
ReplyDelete"Conjures up an image of a maiden aunt with a sharp nose and severe expression, pruning roses" - I agree!
I'm surprised almost ever thing when the origin of and english word is not Latin. :P But you're right; this word sounds to prissy to be Scottish.
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