Definition
Meticulous work leaves nothing to chance: every detail is checked, every record kept, every measurement exact. The word describes a kind of disciplined perfectionism — meticulous notes, meticulous planning, a meticulous restoration of a painting. Curiously, it comes from the Latin metus, 'fear'; the original meticulous person was overcareful out of anxiety. Modern usage keeps the care and drops the fear: today it is almost always a compliment.
Examples
- She kept meticulous records of every experiment, down to the room temperature.
- Restoring the fresco required months of meticulous, millimeter-by-millimeter work.
- He is meticulous about checking his essays for errors before submitting them.
Synonyms
careful · precise · thorough · painstaking · scrupulous
In TOEFL & IELTS
Common in TOEFL passages about archaeology, restoration, and lab research, where it characterizes admirable scientific practice. In IELTS Speaking, 'a meticulous person' is a strong answer to personality and work-habit questions. Collocations to keep: meticulous attention to detail, meticulous planning, meticulously documented.