Definition of ASSIDUOUSNESS

Choose the Right Synonym for assiduous

busy, industrious, diligent, assiduous, sedulous mean actively engaged or occupied. busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure. too busy to spend time with the children industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work. industrious employees diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit. very diligent in her pursuit of a degree assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application. assiduous practice sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application. a sedulous investigation of the murder

The History of Assiduous

Assiduous came to English directly from the Latin assiduus, an adjective derived from the verb assidēre "to sit beside." To the ancient Romans, assiduus carried meanings ranging from “settled or rooted in place” to “constantly present” to “persistent, unremitting." This last sense was the one borrowed into English four hundred years ago and still used today, often in complimentary phrases such as "an assiduous student" and “assiduous efforts.” In the 18th century, the word took on a mildly pejorative meaning, "obsequious," when used of someone striving to please. This sense has largely passed out of use.

Did you know?

Judges presiding over assizes (former periodical sessions of the superior courts in English counties) had to be assiduous in assessing how to best address their cases. Not only were their efforts invaluable, but they also served as a fine demonstration of the etymologies of "assiduous," "assess," and "assize." All three of those words derive from the Latin verb assidēre, which is variously translated as "to sit beside," "to take care of," or "to assist in the office of a judge." "Assidēre," in turn, is a composite of the prefix ad- (in this case, meaning "near" or "adjacent to") and sedēre, meaning "to sit."

Examples of assiduous in a Sentence

They were assiduous in their search for all the latest facts and figures. The project required some assiduous planning.

Recent Examples on the Web Then Rachel receives a phone call from a nervous whistleblower, a woman who informs her that Mrs. Hyde-White is Trump’s lover, hiding behind assiduous optometry to make frequent visits to the White House. — Washington Post, 13 July 2021 As assiduous environmental activists point out, however, the gulfs in apparel brands’ steps to transform their businesses are stark. — Lindsey Tramuta, Fortune, 5 July 2021 Broadway veteran Peter Gallagher played Cohen patriarch and Everyman Sandy — an assiduous public defender and Bronx transplant living in Newport Beach, a wealthy enclave of Orange County, with wife Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) and son Seth (Adam Brody). — Lauren Pinnington, Vulture, 18 June 2021 Many observers believe Netanyahu harmed Israel’s standing in Washington with his assiduous courtship of Republicans, eroding what had always been a bipartisan relationship with Israel. — Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2021 Now that Amy is immune compromised, her parents are assiduous about maintaining a clean environment for her. — Lauren Caruba, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Apr. 2021 Trump’s businesses rely heavily on the use of his name, branding everything from Trump Steaks to Trump Ice Natural Spring Water, and the former president and his company have been assiduous in protecting it. — Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2021 But Luisi and the orchestra gave it assiduous attention, and in an age of so much assaultive new music, a dreamy escape was welcome. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 5 Feb. 2021 An assiduous public-relations campaign has ensured that the newspapers bulge with profiles of him and his photogenic family. — The Economist, 28 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assiduous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.