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- DictionaryCap·tious/ˈkapSHəs/
adjective
- 1. (of a person) tending to find fault or raise petty objections: formal "a captious teacher"
The meaning of CAPTIOUS is marked by an often ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections. How to use captious in a sentence. Did you know? Synonym Discussion of Captious.
CAPTIOUS definition: 1. often expressing criticisms about matters that are not important 2. often expressing criticisms…. Learn more.
apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please. Synonyms: testy, picky, niggling, carping. proceeding from a faultfinding or caviling disposition: He could never praise without adding a captious remark.
When a person is described as captious, the sense is usually of nitpicking at faults or raising petty objections. It is usually used to imply a permanent character or personality flaw, as opposed to a momentary lapse in understanding.
Captious Definition. Made only for the sake of argument or faultfinding. Captious criticism. Fond of catching others in mistakes; quick to find fault; quibbling; carping. Intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument. A captious question. 1784, William Cowper, "A Review of Schools", in Poems, 1859 ed., page 219.
CAPTIOUS meaning: 1. often expressing criticisms about matters that are not important 2. often expressing criticisms…. Learn more.
Definitions of 'captious'. 1. made only for the sake of argument or faultfinding. [...] 2. fond of catching others in mistakes; quick to find fault; quibbling; carping. [...] More.
'Captious' now characterizes someone who has an inclination to find fault or express judgment about things in a petty or unreasonable way. Its etymology highlights the notion of seizing upon trivial issues and criticizing them excessively, often without sound reason or fairness.
apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please. 2. proceeding from a faultfinding or caviling disposition. He could never praise without adding a captious remark. 3. apt or designed to ensnare or perplex, esp. in argument. captious questions.
adj. 1. Marked by a disposition to find and point out trivial faults: a captious scholar. 2. Intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument: a captious question.
