captious
Also found in: Thesaurus.
cap·tious
(kăp′shəs)adj.
1. Marked by a disposition to find and point out trivial faults: a captious scholar.
2. Intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument: a captious question.
[Middle English capcious, from Old French captieux, from Latin captiōsus, from captiō, seizure, sophism, from captus, past participle of capere, to seize; see kap- in Indo-European roots.]
cap′tious·ly adv.
cap′tious·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
captious
(ˈkæpʃəs)adj
apt to make trivial criticisms; fault-finding; carping
[C14 (meaning: catching in error): from Latin captiōsus, from captiō a seizing; see caption]
ˈcaptiously adv
ˈcaptiousness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cap•tious
(ˈkæp ʃəs)adj.
1. apt to focus on trivial faults or defects; faultfinding.
2. proceeding from a faultfinding disposition.
3. apt or designed to ensnare or perplex: captious questions.
[1350–1400; Middle English capcious < Latin captiōsus=capti(ō) deception, sophism (see caption) + -ōsus -ous]
cap′tious•ly, adv.
cap′tious•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Adj. | 1. | captious - tending to find and call attention to faults; "a captious pedant"; "an excessively demanding and faultfinding tutor" critical - marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
captious
adjectiveInclined to judge too severely:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
captious
adj person → überkritisch, pedantisch; remark → spitzfindig
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
captious
[ˈkæpʃəs] adj (frm) → ipercritico/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995