pedantry — excessive concern with minor details or rules; showing off one's knowledge in a boring way
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: excessive concern with minor details or rules; showing off one's knowledge in a boring way
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpedntri/
Example Sentences
- The editor's pedantry turned a simple article into a nightmare of corrections.
- Her pedantry about grammar rules annoyed everyone at the meeting.
- The professor's pedantry made students afraid to ask questions.
pedantry
NOUN[/ˈpedntri/]
excessive concern with minor details or rules; showing off one's knowledge in a boring way
Image coming soon
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Italian 'pedante' (teacher), which itself originates from Greek 'paidagogos' (one who leads children), combining 'paides' (children) and 'agogos' (leader). Over time, the meaning shifted from a neutral reference to a teacher to a pejorative sense denoting excessive scholarly rigor and inflexibility.
Breakdown
pedant (from Italian pedante, ultimately from Greek paidagogos: paides 'children' + agogos 'leader') + -ry (noun suffix forming abstract nouns and practices).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The editor's pedantry turned a simple article into a nightmare of corrections.”
“Her pedantry about grammar rules annoyed everyone at the meeting.”
“The professor's pedantry made students afraid to ask questions.”
“His pedantry about wine tasting ruined what should have been a fun evening.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.