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Webster 1913 Edition

Punctilious

Punc-til′ious

(-yŭs)
,
Adj.
[Cf. It.
puntiglioso
, Sp.
puntilloso
.]
Attentive to punctilio; very nice or exact in the forms of behavior, etiquette, or mutual intercourse; precise; exact in the smallest particulars.
“A punctilious observance of divine laws.”
Rogers.
“Very punctilious copies of any letters.”
The Nation.
Punctilious
in the simple and intelligible instances of common life.
I. Taylor.
–
Punc-til′ious-ly
,
adv.
–
Punc-til′ious-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Punctilious

PUNCTIL'IOUS

,
Adj.
Very nice or exact in the forms of behavior, ceremony or mutual intercourse; very exact in the observance of rules prescribed by law or custom; sometimes, exact to excess.

Definition 2024

punctilious

punctilious

English

Adjective

punctilious ‎(comparative more punctilious, superlative most punctilious)

  1. Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.
    With a punctilious slap of the gloves, the duel was now inevitable.
  2. Precise or scrupulous; finicky or nitpicky.
    • 2009, Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson and Eleni Gregoromichelaki, Semantics: an introduction to meaning in language
      Of course, humans do not treat time in such a punctilious fashion.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:meticulous

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • punctilious in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Etymology

From punctilio +‎ -ous

Pronunciation

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