different between punctilious vs methodical

English

Etymology

From punctilio (“fine point in exactness of conduct”) +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??k?t?li.?s/

Adjective

punctilious (comparative more punctilious, superlative most punctilious)

1. Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:meticulous

2. Precise or scrupulous; finicky or nitpicky.

   Synonyms: finicky, nitpicky, precise; see also Thesaurus:meticulous

   • 2009, Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson and Eleni Gregoromichelaki, Semantics: an introduction to meaning in language

Derived terms

• punctiliously
• punctiliousness

Related terms

• point
• punctuate
• punctual
• punctuality
• punctuation

Translations

Further reading

• punctilious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????????? (methodikós, “going to work by rule, systematic, crafty”), +? -al.

Pronunciation

Adjective

methodical (comparative more methodical, superlative most methodical)

1. In an organized manner; proceeding with regard to method; systematic.
2. Arranged with regard to method; disposed in a suitable manner, or in a manner to illustrate a subject, or to facilitate practical observation.

   the methodical arrangement of arguments; a methodical treatise

   • […] methodical regularity which would have been requisite in a prose author.

Synonyms

• systematic

Related terms

• methodic
• methodically
• methodological

Translations