Meticulous means being extremely careful and paying close attention to every small detail. A meticulous person checks their work thoroughly to avoid mistakes.
From Latin ‘meticulosus,’ meaning ‘fearful’ or ‘timid,’ from ‘metus’ (fear). Over time, the sense shifted from being fearful to being so careful that you pay attention to every detail.
Originally, a ‘meticulous’ person was more scared than neat—the fear drove the fussiness. Today the fear is hidden, but you can still feel it in the pressure some people feel to make everything perfect.
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