fastidious

adjective fas·tid·i·ous \ fa-ˈsti-dē-əs , fə- \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of fastidious

1 a : showing or demanding excessive delicacy or care

fastidious attention to detail
—Robert Evett

b : reflecting a meticulous, sensitive, or demanding attitude

fastidious workmanship

c : having high and often capricious standards : difficult to please

critics … so fastidious that they can talk only to a small circle of initiates
—Granville Hicks

2 : having complex nutritional requirements

fastidious microorganisms

3 archaic : scornful

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fastidiously

adverb

—

fastidiousness

noun

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Examples of fastidious in a Sentence

My mother had always been the most fastidious and organized of people—a wet ring left on her coffee table by a glass could drive her to distraction. —John B. Judis, New Republic, 14 Oct. 1996
"I'll stop off and get us a sandwich," said Matthew. … Tony, a fastidious eater, sighed. —Penelope Lively, City of the Mind, 1991
Though he prides himself on being hip, he is too fastidious to do anything dangerous or dirty. —Jay McInerney, Bright Lights, Big City, 1984
He is fastidious about keeping the house clean.
She was too fastidious to do anything that might get her dirty.

Recent Examples of fastidious from the Web

It has been suggested that the unusually high number of disqualifications in Birmingham had a lot to do with the steep angle of that particular track and the overly fastidious nature of British race officials.

— martin fritz huber, Outside Online, "It's Time to Change the Rules of Track and Field," 28 Mar. 2018
For example, fastidious Virgos may have their calendar, checkbook, and contacts list under control, but their bulging carry-all bag could use a little attention.

— refinery29.com, "How To Tackle Spring Cleaning, According To Your Sign," 16 Mar. 2018
This version ups the ante significantly in the Garden Wars, especially when Mr. McGregor (Sam Neill) dies, and his fastidious nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) comes to Windermere.

— katie walsh, chicagotribune.com, "'Peter Rabbit' review: Beatrix Potter's bunny hops down path of violent mayhem," 8 Feb. 2018
Porter had a reputation in the building for his fastidious work and was liked by the president, who sometimes rages at other aides.

— josh dawsey, Washington Post, "Senior White House official to resign after ex-wives’ allegations of abuse," 7 Feb. 2018
Lance is divorced, rather fastidious about his life, dating Toni (Rebecca Callard), who lives on a houseboat on the river.

— david wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, "Acorn’s ‘Detectorists’ is pure comic gold," 13 Jan. 2018
Mount Everest has become something of a trash heap, as hordes of climbers have been less than fastidious in their ascents.

— kate murphy, New York Times, "Why People Love to Jump Off Cliffs," 24 Feb. 2018
Plastic bags nestled in a heap at their feet, neat little parcels tied with fastidious knots.

— lauren markham, The New Republic, "How efforts to block refugees and asylum-seekers from Europe have only made the global migration crisis more complex and harrowing," 26 Feb. 2018
Steve Jobs is now remembered as the visionary and fastidious cofounder of Apple, and creator of world-changing innovations like the Mac and iPhone.

— david z. morris, Fortune, "Steve Jobs Put Hilariously Little Effort Into This Early Job Application," 25 Feb. 2018

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

fastidious Has a Disgusting Past

There's nothing offensive about fastidious workmanship, and yet the word fastidious traces to the Latin noun fastidium, meaning "aversion" or "disgust." "Fastidium" itself is probably a combination of the Latin words fastus, meaning "arrogance," and taedium, meaning "irksomeness" or "disgust."("Taedium" also gave us our "tedium.") In keeping with its Latin roots, fastidious once meant "haughty," "disgusting," and "disgusted," although those uses are now archaic or obsolete. The word came to be applied to someone who is squeamish or overly difficult to please, and later, to work which reflects a demanding or precise attitude.

Origin and Etymology of fastidious

Middle English, from Latin fastidiosus, from fastidium disgust, probably from fastus arrogance (probably akin to Latin fastigium top) + taedium irksomeness — more at tedium

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First Known Use: 15th century

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