adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈpɪki/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪki
CMU ARPABET:P IH1 K IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Fussy; particular; demanding to have things just right.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I am very picky about the way my kitchen is laid out.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of food or a meal: consisting of various small items from which the diner can pick and choose.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, colloquial, not-comparable
Examples
picky bits
picky tea
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A picture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
exacting especially about details
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a finicky eater
fussy about clothes
very particular about how her food was prepared
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: finical, finicky, fussy, particular
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English pick Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English picky From pick + -y.
Across languages
Translations
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
