1
a
: fussy about small details : fastidious
a persnickety teacher
b
: having the characteristics of a snob
2
: requiring great precision
a persnickety job

Did you know?

Persnickety people like things neat and tidy, but the etymology of persnickety doesn't provide the kind of clean, clear explanation that appeals to the fastidious. Persnickety was first documented in English in the late 19th century as an alteration of pernickety, a word that has the same meaning. Pernickety goes back to the early 1800s, but from there, the word's history gets messy. Some say pernickety might be from a child's version of particular; others, that the nick part came from association with knick-knack. Or perhaps the Latin prefix per-, meaning "thoroughly," played a role. But it's all conjecture-no one knows for sure.

Examples of persnickety in a Sentence

as she got older, she got more and more persnickety lacked the patience to deal with such persnickety tasks as hanging wallpaper
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jonathan Pryce plays the persnickety headmaster who prefers to keep politics outside the school walls. Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024 Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of pernickety

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of persnickety was in 1889

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Dictionary Entries Near persnickety

Cite this Entry

“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persnickety. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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