Pedantry
noun
Excessive importance given to formal rules and small details.
His pedantry was obvious when he insisted on the precise placement of every comma and period.
Often appears as...
- excessive pedantry
- pedantry in language
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
An annoying display of knowledge, or a correction of small errors made by others.
Many viewers were irritated by the presenter's constant pedantry.
Often appears as...
- constant pedantry
- annoying pedantry
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
Excessive importance given to formal rules and small details.
His pedantry was obvious when he insisted on the precise placement of every comma and period.
Often appears as...
- excessive pedantry
- pedantry in language
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
An annoying display of knowledge, or a correction of small errors made by others.
Many viewers were irritated by the presenter's constant pedantry.
Often appears as...
- constant pedantry
- annoying pedantry
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Often Negative
Typically carries a negative connotation, implying an unnecessary focus on trivial details.
His pedantry about dress codes at the casual event frustrated everyone.
Pro Tip 2/3Precision Overkill
Use when someone goes beyond necessary precision and correctness into over-detailed fussiness.
She labeled his careful organization as pedantry when he color-coded all the files.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Bad
Can be positive when attention to detail is critical, like legal documents or historical research.
His pedantry in editing the contract prevented future legal issues.
Pro Tip 1/3Often Negative
Typically carries a negative connotation, implying an unnecessary focus on trivial details.
His pedantry about dress codes at the casual event frustrated everyone.
Pro Tip 2/3Precision Overkill
Use when someone goes beyond necessary precision and correctness into over-detailed fussiness.
She labeled his careful organization as pedantry when he color-coded all the files.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Bad
Can be positive when attention to detail is critical, like legal documents or historical research.
His pedantry in editing the contract prevented future legal issues.
Pro Tip 1/3Often Negative
Typically carries a negative connotation, implying an unnecessary focus on trivial details.
His pedantry about dress codes at the casual event frustrated everyone.
Pro Tip 2/3Precision Overkill
Use when someone goes beyond necessary precision and correctness into over-detailed fussiness.
She labeled his careful organization as pedantry when he color-coded all the files.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Bad
Can be positive when attention to detail is critical, like legal documents or historical research.
His pedantry in editing the contract prevented future legal issues.
Never forget "Pedantry"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Quote examples
Giordano Bruno
Italian Philosopher
We see that pedantry has never been held in such esteem for the government of the world as in our times, and it offers as many paths of the true intelligible species and objects of infallible and sole truth as there are individual pedants.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Perhaps the prevalence of pedantry may be largely accounted for by the common error of thinking that, because useful knowledge should be remembered, any kind of knowledge that is at all worth learning should be remembered too.
Quote examples
Paul F. Tompkins
American Comedian
I love clothing, and I love fashion, but I think that there is too much pedantry in fashion, and saying, 'You have to wear all of these things together; you can't button this button.' You know, all of that kind of stuff.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Learning has always been made much of, but forgetting has always been deprecated; therefore pedantry has pretty well established itself throughout the modern world at the expense of culture.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Diligent as one must be in learning, one must be as diligent in forgetting; otherwise the process is one of pedantry, not culture.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
Quote examples
Mary H.K. Choi
South Korean Author
Consider this: alms aside, Wikipedia is fueled by competitive pedantry and emo-ness. How great is that?
Quote examples
Carroll O'Connor
American Actor
The wages of pedantry is pain.
Quote examples
Giordano Bruno
Italian Philosopher
We see that pedantry has never been held in such esteem for the government of the world as in our times, and it offers as many paths of the true intelligible species and objects of infallible and sole truth as there are individual pedants.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Perhaps the prevalence of pedantry may be largely accounted for by the common error of thinking that, because useful knowledge should be remembered, any kind of knowledge that is at all worth learning should be remembered too.
Quote examples
Paul F. Tompkins
American Comedian
I love clothing, and I love fashion, but I think that there is too much pedantry in fashion, and saying, 'You have to wear all of these things together; you can't button this button.' You know, all of that kind of stuff.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Learning has always been made much of, but forgetting has always been deprecated; therefore pedantry has pretty well established itself throughout the modern world at the expense of culture.
Quote examples
Albert J. Nock
American Philosopher
Diligent as one must be in learning, one must be as diligent in forgetting; otherwise the process is one of pedantry, not culture.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
Quote examples
Mary H.K. Choi
South Korean Author
Consider this: alms aside, Wikipedia is fueled by competitive pedantry and emo-ness. How great is that?
Quote examples
Carroll O'Connor
American Actor
The wages of pedantry is pain.
Example 1 of 8
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension