meticulous
mih-TIHK-yih-lihs
Meticulous (adjective) means Extremely careful and precise about details. Example: “The surgeon was meticulous in checking every instrument before the operation.”
adjective
1
Extremely careful and precise about details.
"The surgeon was meticulous in checking every instrument before the operation."
"Her meticulous notes made it easy to retrace every step of the experiment."
How to use meticulous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPaying very close attention to every small detail.
Common pairings
meticulous attention to detail
meticulous planning
meticulously researched
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more meticulous
- Superlative
- most meticulous
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The surgeon was _____ in checking every instrument before the operation.
Etymology
From Latin meticulosus ("fearful, timid"), from metus ("fear"). The modern sense of "careful about detail" developed later, likely influenced by the similar French word méticuleux.
Synonyms
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accurate
careful
comprehensive
solicitous
conscientious
fastidious
exhaustive
groundly
in-depth
intensive
letter-perfect
mindful
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for meticulous
See all rhymes for meticulous →Frequently asked questions
What does “meticulous” mean?
The word “meticulous” means extremely careful and precise about details. In plain terms, paying very close attention to every small detail.
How do you pronounce “meticulous”?
“Meticulous” is pronounced mih-TIHK-yih-lihs (/mɪˈtɪkjɪlɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “meticulous” in a sentence?
Here is “meticulous” used in a sentence: “The surgeon was meticulous in checking every instrument before the operation.”
What is another word for “meticulous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “meticulous” include accurate, careful, comprehensive, solicitous, conscientious and fastidious.
What is the opposite of “meticulous”?
The opposite of “meticulous” — its antonyms — are automatic, careless, cursory, haphazard and perfunctory.
What part of speech is “meticulous”?
“Meticulous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “meticulous” come from?
The word “meticulous” comes from Latin. From Latin meticulosus ("fearful, timid"), from metus ("fear"). The modern sense of "careful about detail" developed later, likely influenced by the similar French word méticuleux.
Is “meticulous” a common word?
“Meticulous” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
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