Word of the Day

: November 7, 2008

fastidious

adjective fas-TID-ee-us

What It Means

1 : having high and often unpredictable standards

2 : showing a meticulous or demanding attitude

fastidious in Context

These designer handbags are beautiful and have clearly been made with fastidious attention to detail.

Did You Know?

There's nothing offensive about fastidious workmanship, and yet the word "fastidious" traces to the Latin noun "fastidium," meaning "aversion" or "disgust." "Fastidium" itself is probably a combination of the Latin words "fastus," meaning "arrogance," and "taedium," meaning "irksomeness" or "disgust."("Taedium" also gave us our "tedium.") In keeping with its Latin roots, "fastidious" once meant "haughty," "disgusting," and "disgusted," although those uses are now archaic or obsolete. The word came to be applied to someone who is squeamish or overly difficult to please, and later, to work which reflects a demanding or precise attitude.