diligent
pronunciation
How to pronounce diligent in British English:
UK [ˈdɪlɪdʒənt]
How to pronounce diligent in American English:
US [ˈdɪlɪdʒənt]
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- Adjective:
- quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness
- characterized by care and perseverence in carrying out tasks
Word Origin
- diligent
- diligent: [14] The underlying meaning of diligent is ‘loving’. It comes via Old French diligent from the present participial stem of Latin dīligere ‘esteem highly, love’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘apart’ and legere ‘choose’ (source of English elect, neglect, and select), and so originally meant literally ‘single out’. It gradually passed semantically via ‘love’ to ‘attentiveness’, ‘carefulness’, and finally ‘steady effort’.=> elect, neglect, select
- diligent (adj.)
- mid-14c., from Old French diligent (14c.), from Latin diligentem "attentive, assiduous" (see diligence). Related: Diligently.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Lady hale shows herself to be a diligent researcher .
- 2. But its implementation requires diligent officials , so not much has happened .
- 3. Once upon a time there lived a fisherman . The diligent fisherman went fishing everyday .
- 4. He is less diligent than his sister .
- 5. Even the most diligent , well-intentioned daily sunscreen wearers are likely doing it wrong .