Accurate vs Punctilious - What's the difference?
accurate | punctilious |
In exact or careful conformity to truth; the result of care or pains; free from failure, error, or defect; exact; as, an accurate'' calculator; an ''accurate'' measure; ''accurate expression, knowledge, etc.
*
Deviating only slightly or within acceptable limits.
(obsolete) Precisely fixed; executed with care; careful.
* Bacon
Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.
Precise or scrupulous; finicky or nitpicky.
* 2009 , Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson and Eleni Gregoromichelaki, Semantics: an introduction to meaning in language
As adjectives the difference between accurate and punctilious
is that accurate is in exact or careful conformity to truth; the result of care or pains; free from failure, error, or defect; exact; as, an accurate calculator; an accurate measure; accurate expression, knowledge, etc while punctilious is strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.accurate
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- For more than 90% of the figures (mostly drawn during 1976-1990), either a scale, or the given magnification, will allow the user to derive accurate measurements, even when these are lacking in the diagnosis.
- Those conceive the celestial bodies have more accurate influences upon these things below.
Usage notes
* We speak of a thing as correct' with reference to some rule or standard of comparison; as, a '''correct''' account, a '''correct''' likeness, a man of ' correct deportment. * We speak of a thing as accurate' with reference to the care bestowed upon its execution, and the increased correctness to be expected therefrom; as, an '''accurate''' statement, an ' accurate detail of particulars. * We speak of a thing as exact' with reference to that perfected state of a thing in which there is no defect and no redundancy; as, an '''exact''' coincidence, the '''exact''' truth, an ' exact likeness. * We speak of a thing as precise' when we think of it as strictly conformed to some rule or model, as if ''cut down'' thereto; as a '''precise''' conformity instructions; '''precisely''' right; he was very ' precise in giving his directions.Synonyms
* correct * exact * just * nice * particularAntonyms
* inaccurateDerived terms
* accuracy * accuratelyAnagrams
* ----punctilious
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- With a punctilious slap of the gloves, the duel was now inevitable.
- Of course, humans do not treat time in such a punctilious fashion.