Conscientious

WORD OF THE DAY

conscientious / adjective / kahn-shee-EN-shus

Definition
1: meticulous, careful
2a: governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience
2b: scrupulous

Examples
“Findings from Gosling’s studies revealed that highly conscientious people tend to have homes or offices that are clean and in good condition. Books, TV remotes, and magazines may be neatly arranged and conveniently located, for example. Their music records and books might be organized and grouped together on the bookshelf by type or genre.”
— Brian Collisson, Psychology Today, 25 May 2022

Because Puckett was a conscientious lieutenant … his men did not have to stint on their fire. He had made sure that every man was carrying a basic load of ammunition and then some to spare …
— Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988

Did You Know?
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 approve of what they see. This is true for someone who is “governed by their conscience” as the oldest sense of the word is defined—as in “a conscientious objector to the war”—but it is also true for the conscientious person paying close, careful attention to the task at hand.
Conscientious came to English from French, centuries after Middle English had adopted conscience from Old French; both ultimately come from Latin scire, “to know.”