Word of the Day

: June 22, 2008

conscientious

adjective kahn-shee-EN-shus

What It Means

1 : governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience : scrupulous

2 : meticulous, careful

conscientious in Context

Carolyn was very conscientious in her research, exploring every possible influence and outcome before preparing her final report.

Did You Know?

According to American writer and editor H.L. Mencken, "Conscience is the inner voice which warns us someone may be looking." A person who is conscientious makes sure that if others are watching, they like what they see. "Conscience" and "conscientious" both come from the Latin verb "conscire," a word that means "to be conscious" or "to be conscious of guilt" and that traces back to a still older Latin word, "scire," meaning "to know."