Conscientious

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌkɒnʃiˈɛnʃəs/

Definitions

1. Characterized by careful attention to doing what is right and fulfilling one's duties thoroughly and responsibly
2. Demonstrating a careful and responsible approach to tasks, driven by a strong moral compass and a commitment to fulfilling one's duties thoroughly
3. Marked by a diligent and responsible attitude towards tasks, emphasizing careful attention to ethical obligations and a strong sense of duty

Etymology: "Conscientious" arrived in English from Middle French "conscientieux," which in turn came from Medieval Latin "cōnscientiōsus," meaning "conscientious" in the sense of "having a conscience" or being guided by one. The Latin root "conscientia" is itself built from "con-" ("with") and "scire" ("to know"), so the word's deepest sense is knowing something together with oneself, a kind of inner awareness of right and wrong. The English form may also be read as "conscient" plus the suffix "-ous," though the source treats that analysis as a possibility rather than settled fact. Either way, the word's journey from a moral sense of having a conscience to the modern sense of being painstaking and diligent reflects how an inner sense of duty came to be seen in outward behavior: a person with a clear conscience about their work is one who takes care over it.

Synonyms: diligent, meticulous, careful, scrupulous, thorough

Antonyms: careless, negligent, indifferent, inattentive, unconcerned