A person who refuses to accept anything less than excellent and sets very high standards for themselves and others.
From 'perfection' (from Latin 'perfectio' meaning completion or excellence) combined with the suffix '-ist' denoting a person who practices or advocates something. The term emerged in the 19th century as psychology and philosophy developed new vocabulary for personality types.
Perfectionism is psychologically double-edged—studies show that healthy perfectionism (striving for excellence) drives achievement, but unhealthy perfectionism (fear of failure) leads to anxiety and procrastination, which is why many brilliant people struggle with never feeling 'good enough.'
Perfectionism is gendered female (especially in women socialized toward caregiving/appearance standards) while male ambition is framed as 'high standards' or 'excellence.' Women perfectionists face burnout critique; men face admiration.
Recognize perfectionism across genders neutrally. Avoid implicit criticism of women's high standards while celebrating men's. Address underlying pressure, not personality flaw.
["person with high standards","detail-oriented","strives for excellence"]
Women's perfectionism often reflects socialized pressure to be flawless in appearance, behavior, and achievement. Men's is called ambition. Name the systemic expectation, not the person's flaw.
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