adj., -i·er, -i·est.

Insisting capriciously on getting just what one wants; difficult to please; fastidious: a finicky eater.

[From finick, a finical person, from FINICAL.]

finickiness fin'ick·i·ness n.

"Cats are notoriously finicky eaters, as millions of pet owners can attest"

and now scientists have discovered why: thanks to a non-functioning gene, they don't have a sweet tooth!

Link: Scientists determine why cats are finicky eaters

Posted July 27, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

adjective

Very difficult to please: choosy, dainty, exacting, fastidious, finical, fussy, meticulous, nice, particular, persnickety, squeamish. Informal picky. See accept/reject.

adj

Definition: overparticular
Antonyms: accepting, easy, open, uncritical

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IN BRIEF: Hard to please.

The children at the party were all very finicky eaters and would not eat the vegetables.

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - overpertentlig, sirlig, sippet

Nederlands (Dutch)
pietepeuterig

Français (French)
adj. - difficile, tatillon, minutieux

Deutsch (German)
adj. - kniffelig

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - σχολαστικός, λεπτολόγος

Italiano (Italian)
pignolo

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - frívolo

Русский (Russian)
разборчивый, придирчивый

Español (Spanish)
adj. - quisquilloso, melindroso

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - petigt

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
过分注意的, 过分周到的, 过分讲究的

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 過分注意的, 過分周到的, 過分講究的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 몹시 신경을 쓰는, 까다로운

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - いやに気にする, 手の込みすぎた

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) يصعب ارضاؤه ( بالنسبه للطعام والملابس مثلا)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮קפדן, עדין, איסטניס‬

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