pedantic
adjective/pɪˈdæntɪk/
Frequency rank: #17,768 most common English word
Meaning
Excessively concerned with minor details or rules, especially in academic matters.

Example sentence
My professor is so pedantic that he deducts points for even the smallest formatting errors.
Synonyms & related words
- nitpicky
- fussy
- meticulous
- rigid
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