picky

Etymology

From pick +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪki/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪki

Adjective

picky (comparative pickier, superlative pickiest)

1. Fussy; particular; demanding to have things just right.

   I am very picky about the way my kitchen is laid out.

   • 2018 June 4, Perri Klass, M.D., “When New Means No: Picky Eating as a Normal Toddler Phase”, in The New York Times‎:

     Most of the pickiest children were actually in the middle weight group, though a few were underweight and a few were overweight.

   • 2021 December 12, Jessica Green, “The subtle signs YOUR relationship is set to fail: Relationship expert reveals the ’less-obvious’ warning signals - including watching TOO much TV and not taking photos together”, in Daily Mail‎, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-12-19:

     Singletons have become 'pickier' about their potential partners following the pandemic, one dating expert has claimed - insisting they are now even more concerned about the 'pink flags' that could lead to 'red flag scenarios'.

2. (UK, colloquial, not comparable) Of food or a meal: consisting of various small items from which the diner can pick and choose.

   picky bits

   picky tea

   • 1988, Jan Webster, One Little Room, page 240:

     […] a picky meal of bean-sprouts and humous […]

Noun

picky (plural pickies)

1. (informal) A picture.
   • 1988, Alan Hollinghurst, The Swimming-Pool Library, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 44:

     And who knows, I might do a few pickies of you - fully clothed, needless to say.

See also