Strict attention to detail and accuracy; demanding high standards and thorough methods, especially in science or discipline.
From Latin 'rigor' meaning 'stiffness' or 'numbness.' It originally referred to physical rigidity but evolved to mean intellectual strictness and inflexibility in following rules.
Interesting paradox: 'rigor' comes from a word about stiffness, but rigorous science actually bends and changes as new evidence appears—it's strict about methods, not stubborn about conclusions!
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