Overparticularity

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being excessively detailed or meticulous in preferences or requirements, often leading to undue fussiness or stringent selectiveness
2. Exhibiting an extreme degree of attention to minor details or standards, causing heightened fastidiousness or demandingness beyond normal expectations
3. The state or condition of showing undue exactness or finicky behavior in choices or judgments, resulting in excessive concern for precision or correctness

Etymology: "Particular" comes from Latin "particula," a little part, which is a diminutive of "pars," meaning part. A particular thing was originally one piece singled out from the whole, and English kept that sense of specificity. The shift to fussiness came from the same attention to individual parts: someone who examines every detail closely can seem exacting or finicky. "Overparticularity" is a plain compound. The prefix "over-," from Old English "ofer," adds the sense of going beyond what is needed, so the noun names excessive attention to detail. The ending "-ity" is the noun-forming suffix that came into English through French from Latin "-itas," turning the adjective "overparticular" into a noun for the quality of being overparticular.

Synonyms: fastidiousness, meticulousness, excessive attention, nitpicking

Antonyms: carelessness, negligence, indifference