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Where does the word "meticulous" come from? It comes from Latin meticulosus, and was adopted directly into English (1530s).
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Where does the word "meticulous" come from? It comes from Latin meticulosus, and was adopted directly into English (1530s).
Meticulous’s story begins in Latin: meticulosus meant “fearful, timid.” Fearful, timid, from metus (fear). It reached English by 1530s as meticulous. Shifted from fearfulness to extreme, careful attention to detail. Today, meticulous means showing extreme, careful attention to detail.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient meticulosus "fearful, timid", fearful, timid, from metus (fear).
- Stage 2 · English · 1530s meticulous "showing great attention to detail", shifted from fearfulness to extreme, careful attention to detail.