finicky

adjective

fin·​icky ˈfi-ni-kē 

1

: extremely or excessively particular, exacting, or meticulous in taste or standards

a finicky eater

My teacher is finicky about spelling.

2

: requiring much care, precision, or attentive effort

a finicky recipe

… growing the finicky Pinot Noir grape …

—Kim Marcus

finickiness noun

Did you know?

If you're a reader of a certain age (say, a Boomer, Gen Xer, or even a Xennial) you may remember cheeky television commercials featuring Morris, a finicky housecat who only eats a certain brand of cat food. (Morris is still featured on product labels.) Morris's tastes in cuisine are not only very particular, but very fine as well, and that's appropriate given the origin of finicky. The word came about in the early 19th century as an alteration of the synonymous finicking, itself a 17th century alteration of another synonym, finical, which in turn is a late 16th century coinage likely derived from the adjective fine.

Synonyms

• careful
• nice
• persnickety
• picky
• particular
• fussy
• fastidious
• demanding
• choosy
• exacting
• pernickety [chiefly British]
• choosey
• finical
• delicate
• dainty
• meticulous
• selective

Examples of finicky in a Sentence

My teacher is finicky about grammar.

a complicated and finicky recipe

Recent Examples on the Web

Christmas cactus can be finicky, and consistency is key. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025

California renters are finicky customers, changing apartments far more often than the typical American tenant. —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025

Kirundo 3-Piece Lounge Set Layers are the secret to surviving the South’s finicky fall season. —Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025

For decades, the vacuum was thought of as merely a finicky factor to be implemented as well as possible. —IEEE Spectrum, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of finicking

First Known Use

circa 1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

finicky

adjective

fin·​icky ˈfin-i-kē 

: very hard to please : fussy

a finicky eater

finickiness noun