Very fussy or hard to please about small details, especially when it comes to food or preferences.
From the earlier word 'finical' (1590s), possibly from Scottish or Scandinavian origins. The '-y' suffix was added to make it an adjective. The word has meant 'particular' or 'fussy' for centuries, and may relate to the idea of 'fine-tuning' choices.
The word 'finicky' has an interesting cousin in 'particular' — both describe choosy people, but finicky adds a sense of being annoyed or put out, while particular just means discerning. Kids who are finicky eaters often grow out of it when they discover foods they actually like!
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