pernickety

English

Etymology

From Scottish pernicky, of uncertain origin. Quite possibly from Old Danish “Pernittengryn” relating to a folklore story of the farmer “Per” (a common Danish name) who would count his “nitten” (nineteen)”gryn” (grains). Ergo, anyone who count individual grains in an entire harvest is akin to Pernittengryn (pernickity).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ɪ.ti/, /pɜː(ɹ)ˈnɪk.ə.ti/
• Rhymes: -ɪkɪti or Rhymes: -ɪkəti

Adjective

pernickety (comparative more pernickety, superlative most pernickety)

1. (chiefly British) Fussy; paying undue attention to minor details; fastidious.
2. Requiring attention to minor details.

Synonyms

1. niggly
2. persnickety (US); more on Thesaurus:fastidious

Translations

paying undue attention to minor details

• German: kleinlich (de), pingelig (de), etepetete (de), penibel (de), zimperlich (de), eigen (de), übergenau (de), heikel (de)
• Russian: придирчивый (ru) (pridirčivyj), разборчивый (ru) (razborčivyj), привере́дливый (ru) (priverédlivyj), въедливый (ru) (vʺjedlivyj), суетливый (ru) (sujetlivyj)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: punctilloso, puntilloso (es)

requiring attention to minor details

• Russian: щекотливый (ru) (ščekotlivyj), то́нкий (ru) (tónkij)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: puntilloso (es)