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Definition of persnickety

persnickety

/pɚˈsnɪk.ə.ti/
(UK: pernickety)
per · snick · e · ty
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persnickety Lexical Profile

persnickety Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

North American Placing excessive emphasis on trivial or minor details; overly fussy, fastidious, or hard to please.

Example

"The persnickety editor spent hours debating the placement of a single semicolon."

2

North American Requiring great precision, care, or patience to handle or operate; tricky or temperamental.

Example

"Repairing the antique pocket watch was a persnickety job that demanded steady hands."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for persnickety
Antonyms
View all antonyms for persnickety

Word Nuance & Usage

'Persnickety' is the standard North American form, whereas 'pernickety' remains the preferred spelling in British, Scottish, and Commonwealth English.

• Rhymes for persnickety

• Nearby Words

persistency
persistent
persistently
persnickety
person
persona
personable

Word Origin & Etymology

Late 19th-century North American alteration of the older Scottish dialect word 'pernickety', which itself is of uncertain origin, possibly a playful alteration of 'particular'.

Cite this Entry

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