Wiktionary

finicky

English

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Etymology

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From fr. finicking, from finical, from fine + -ical. Compare dated finikin. Perhaps suggested by Middle Dutch fijnkens 'accurately, neatly, prettily'. Cfr. also Sicilian finicchiu.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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finicky (comparative finickier or more finicky, superlative finickiest or most finicky)

  1. (informal, of a person) Fastidious and fussy; difficult to please; exacting, especially about details.
    Synonyms: fastidious, fussy; see also Thesaurus:fastidious
    My editor is very finicky about punctuation. Every dot and comma has to be just right.
    She has a finicky baby that's hard to feed.
  2. (informal) Demanding; requiring above-normal care.
    The lawnmower is a bit finicky in cold weather.

Usage notes

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  • The forms finickier and finickiest also exist, but are quite rare, and perhaps nonstandard. The forms more finicky and most finicky are much more common, and certainly standard.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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