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 as an alteration of finicking, itself an alteration of another adjective, finical. It's believed that finical derives from the adjective fine.

Synonyms

• choosy
• choosey
• dainty
• delicate
• demanding
• exacting
• fastidious
• finical
• finicking
• fussbudgety
• fussy
• nice
• old-maidish
• particular
• pernickety [chiefly British]
• persnickety
• picky

Examples of finicky in a Sentence

My teacher is finicky about grammar.

a complicated and finicky recipe

Recent Examples on the Web

We’re blessed this week with two crew nights out and a guest being finicky about drink garnishes. —Emma Soren, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024

That’s when an oven thermometer becomes an essential kitchen tool for making sure your most finicky baked goods or your holiday dinner’s main course comes out correctly and on time. —Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appétit, 16 Oct. 2024

Christmas cactus can be finicky, and consistency is key. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024

While the sport itself is booming, nordic testing circumstances have never been more finicky, with snowless conditions across much of the United States. —Stephanie Pearson, Outside Online, 8 Oct. 2024

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