different between assiduous vs attentive

English

Etymology

From Latin assiduus from assidere (“to sit down to”), from ad- (“to”) + sedere (“to sit”).

Cognate (via assidere) to assess.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??s?dju??s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??s?d?u??s/

Adjective

assiduous (comparative more assiduous, superlative most assiduous)

1. Hard-working, diligent or regular (in attendance or work); industrious.

   Synonyms: meticulous, diligent, sedulous; see also Thesaurus:industrious

   • 1917, P. G. Wodehouse, "Bill the Bloodhound" in The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories:

     A good deal of assiduous attention had enabled Henry to win this place in her affections.

   • 2009, Will Pavia, "Allen Klein, accountant turned manager of the Beatles, dies at 77," The Times (UK), 6 July:

     Klein rose to prominence in the 1960s by assiduous application of accounting methods to the music industry.

Usage notes

• Since the 18th century, this term has sometimes carried a connotation of servility.

Derived terms

• assiduously
• assiduousness

Related terms

Translations

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English attentif, attentijf, from Old French attentif.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?nt?v/

Adjective

attentive (comparative more attentive, superlative most attentive)

1. Paying attention; noticing, watching, listening, or attending closely.

   She is an attentive listener, but does not like to talk much.

   • 1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka (republished by Eland, 2019; p. 94):

     King-of-the-Sky was sitting alone in the Leeward Village meeting-house, gesticulating to the attentive shades of night, roaring out the genealogy of his ancestors, telling the sleeping world of his greatness.

2. Courteous; mindful.

   a husband attentive to his wife's needs

Synonyms

• audient
• mindful
• reckful

Antonyms

• inattentive, reckless

Translations

See also

• alert
• wary
• watchful

Anagrams

• tentative

French

Adjective

attentive

1. feminine singular of attentif