SKIP TO CONTENT

punctilious

/ˈpʌŋ(k)ˌtɪliəs/
IPA guide

A punctilious person pays attention to details. Are you always precisely on time? Is your room perfectly neat? Do you never forget a birthday or a library book's due date? Then you are one of the punctilious people.

The adjective punctilious, pronounced "punk-TIL-ee-us," is related to the Italian word puntiglio, meaning "fine point." For someone who is punctilious no point is too fine, no detail too small, to be overlooked. The word is often used to describe people, but it can be used more broadly to apply to observations, behavior, or anything else that is characterized by close attention to detail.

Definitions of punctilious
  1. adjective
    marked by precise accordance with details
    punctilious in his attention to rules of etiquette”
    synonyms: meticulous
    precise
    sharply exact or accurate or delimited
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘punctilious'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family