BharatNotes Fastidious
adjectiveUsage in a UPSC answer
A fastidious approach to drafting legislation, in which every clause is weighed for ambiguity and unintended consequence, is the surest safeguard against litigation that later paralyses well-meaning public policy.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
fastidiously (adv), fastidiousness (n), fastidious (adj)
Root
Latin fastidiosus = disdainful, squeamish; fastus = arrogance + taedium = disgust
Etymology
From Latin fastidiosus 'disdainful, squeamish, exacting', from fastidium 'loathing, aversion, excessive nicety' (thought to be a blend of fastus 'arrogance, contempt' and taedium 'disgust'). Entered English in the mid-15th century.
Memory Hook
Link "fast-tidy-ous" - someone so fast to tidy up that every speck must be perfect; a fastidious person is fixated on tidiness and detail.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
Very attentive to accuracy and detail, sometimes excessively so. In GS4 it cuts both ways, which is what makes it useful: fastidious record-keeping is a virtue in public office, while fastidiousness that delays decisions becomes an obstacle to service. An answer that notes where the line falls is doing the calibration the paper rewards.
Don’t Confuse It With
Fastidious is meticulous about detail, possibly to a fault. Meticulous is careful and thorough without the negative edge. Pedantic is concerned with trivial correctness at the expense of substance. Punctilious attends closely to correct form and procedure.
Hindi Meaning
अति सूक्ष्मदर्शी (ati sūkshmadarshī) or नकचढ़ा in the fussier sense.
Common Questions
- What does fastidious mean?
- Very attentive to accuracy and detail, sometimes to an excessive degree.
- Is being fastidious a good thing in administration?
- In record-keeping and verification, yes. When it delays decisions that citizens are waiting on, it becomes an obstacle.
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