Painstaking
/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪ.kɪŋ/noun
Involving or requiring great care and thoroughness.
Did you know?The word "painstaking" originates from the notion that to achieve something worthwhile, one must endure suffering and effort, connecting labor with pain, making it almost ritualistic in nature.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
painstaking
“Characterized by great care or effort, literally implying the necessity of enduring pain for meticulous work.”
Old French
French
peine
“Strain or effort, reflecting the burdensome nature of work.”
Latin
Latin
poena
“Punishment or penalty, referring to the suffering involved.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pōinā
“A root associated with pain or punishment, emphasizing the connection between effort and suffering.”