Nitpick

Pronunciation: /ˈnɪtˌpɪk/

Definitions of nitpick

noun a person who finds fault with details or minor points

Example Sentences

A1 My sister is a nitpick when it comes to cleanliness.

A2 The teacher always nitpicks about punctuation in our essays.

B1 The manager is known for being a nitpick when it comes to details.

B2 I try not to nitpick too much, but sometimes I can't help it.

C1 Her nitpick tendencies can be exhausting to deal with.

C2 As a perfectionist, he tends to nitpick every little thing until it's just right.

verb to engage in nitpicking, to criticize or find fault with minor details

Example Sentences

A1 She always nitpicks about the smallest details.

A2 My mom tends to nitpick my room cleanliness.

B1 The boss nitpicked every aspect of the project presentation.

B2 As a perfectionist, he can't help but nitpick every little mistake.

C1 The film critic is known for nitpicking every film he reviews.

C2 It's not productive to constantly nitpick and criticize without offering solutions.

Examples of nitpick in a Sentence

formal The professor is known to nitpick every detail in the research papers submitted by students.

informal My mom always nitpicks about the way I fold my clothes.

slang Stop nitpicking, it's not a big deal.

figurative Don't nitpick at the flaws in the plan, focus on the overall strategy instead.

Grammatical Forms of nitpick

• past tense: nitpicked
• plural: nitpickers
• comparative: more nitpicky
• superlative: most nitpicky
• present tense: nitpicks
• future tense: will nitpick
• perfect tense: has nitpicked
• continuous tense: is nitpicking
• singular: nitpicker
• positive degree: nitpicky
• infinitive: to nitpick
• gerund: nitpicking
• participle: nitpicked

Origin and Evolution of nitpick

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'nitpick' originated from the combination of 'nit', referring to the egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect, and 'pick', meaning to remove or separate. It was likely used in the context of meticulously removing nits or small insects from hair or clothing.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'nitpick' has evolved to mean to be overly critical or to focus on small, insignificant details. It has shifted from a literal act of removing nits to a metaphorical sense of finding faults or flaws in something.