Punctilious
/pʌŋkˈtɪl.i.əs/noun
Strictly attentive to detail or to what is considered correct behavior.
Did you know?Punctilious comes from Latin *punctum* (“a point”), and the word was historically tied to exactness so fine it felt like living by invisible marks on a line.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
punctum
“a point; a small mark; something pierced”
Late Latin
Latin
punctillus
“a little point”
17th Century
English
punctilio
“a minute point of conduct; a fine point of etiquette”
17th Century
English
punctilious
“full of punctilios; exacting about tiny points of behavior”
Modern English
English
punctilious
“meticulously exact or scrupulous, especially in matters of conduct or detail”