| Word | conscientious |
|---|---|
| Date | June 22, 2008 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | kahn-shee-EN-shus |
| Etymology | According to American writer and editor H.L. Mencken, "Conscience is the inner voice which warns us someone may be looking." A person who is conscientious makes sure that if others are watching, they like what they see. "Conscience" and "conscientious" both come from the Latin verb "conscire," a word that means "to be conscious" or "to be conscious of guilt" and that traces back to a still older Latin word, "scire," meaning "to know." |
| Examples | Carolyn was very conscientious in her research, exploring every possible influence and outcome before preparing her final report. |
| Definition | 1 : governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience : scrupulous 2 : meticulous, careful |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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