Fussier

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Demonstrating an excessive focus on unimportant elements Exhibiting a pronounced inclination to worry about trivialities or be hard to satisfy Showing a notable sensitivity to minor imperfections or details in diverse contexts
2. Often pays too much attention to minor details or faults, typically making situations more complicated than necessary
3. Shows a tendency to be overly selective or hard to please because of a focus on insignificant aspects

Etymology: "Fussier" is the comparative of "fussy," so it means "more fussy," or harder to please than someone or something else. The base word "fussy" is formed from "fuss" with the suffix "-y," which in English turns a noun into an adjective meaning "full of" or "characterized by." "Fuss" itself is the older element here, and its own origins are obscure, so the more useful part of the story lies in the suffix. The comparative is built the regular way: "fussy" takes "-ier" in the comparative because it ends in a consonant plus "-y," so the "y" changes to "i" before "-er." This explains why the form reads "fussier" rather than "fussyer." The same pattern gives "happier" and "lazier."

Synonyms: finicky, particular, fastidious

Antonyms: easygoing, unparticular