Pedantic

Pronunciation

• enPR: pa-dăn'tÄ­k, IPA: /pəˈdæn.tɪk/
• Rhymes: -æntɪk

Alternative forms

• pedantick obsolete

Origin

From pedant + -ic.

Full definition of pedantic

Adjective

1. Like a pedant, overly concerned with formal rules and trivial points of learning.
2. Being showy of one’s knowledge, often in a boring manner.
3. Being finicky or fastidious, especially with language.

Related terms

• pedant
• pedantry

Synonyms

• (like a pedant) informal, derogatory anal-retentive, fussy, nit-picky
• (knowledge-peacock) sometimes applicable nit-picky, ostentatious, pedagogical, pretentious
• (linguistically affected) fussy, nit-picky

Anagrams

• pentadic