persnickety adj meanings etymology and more Fussy significance is somewhat hard to grasp. It refers to someone who is vitally selective and fault-finding. A persnickety individual tends to be fastidious and sets the bar high when it comes to criteria and flawlessness. Their attention to detail can be regarded as praiseworthy, but it can also exacerbate extreme criticism and avoidable dissatisfaction. Being persnickety is typically connected with thorough focus on specifics but can also be seen as a type of pedantry.