[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/picky/)

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# picky

adjective (picky, pickier, pickiest) — informal

«picky» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) A picky person is hard to please and only likes certain things, especially food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#m1)
2. (informal) Picky can mean fussing about small details. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life it is often used about children and food: «a picky eater». It can sound a bit critical. UK also says «fussy», «faddy». Phrases: «picky eater», «picky about clothes».

### Examples

- My little brother is a picky eater. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x1)
- Don't be so picky — just eat your peas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x2)
- The cat is picky about its food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x3)
- She's picky about which socks she wears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x4)
- Picky eaters often try new foods slowly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x5)
- My teacher is picky about neat handwriting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x6)
- He was too picky to choose a book. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x7)
- Are you a picky eater? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/#x8)

### Note

Informal. Comparative: pickier, pickiest (y → i). Synonyms: fussy (UK), choosy. Do not confuse with «pick» (choose) — though the word comes from it.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «picky» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/picky/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«picky» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/picky.html) on Mova free.