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Definition of cursory

cursory

/ˈkɜːrsəri/
cur · so · ry
Adverb:cursorily
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cursory Lexical Profile

cursory Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed; performed rapidly with little attention to detail.

Example

"Even a cursory glance at the financial reports revealed several major discrepancies."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for cursory

• Nearby Words

cursively
cursor
cursorily
cursory
curt
curtail
curtailment

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 16th century from Late Latin cursorius ('of a runner'), derived from Latin cursor ('runner'), from currere ('to run').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cursory. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cursory
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